Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

Storm preparation and repair

July 3, 2010

Now that summer is here, we can’t escape big thunderstorms and the fact that hurricane season has begun. Though I don’t expect a bad hurricane season (blame it on optimism or denial) it is always best to be prepared for big storms. Now is the time to check out your trees and make sure that they are doing fine.

If you own one or more large trees, I’m thinking 50 feet or taller, that are planted close enough to fall on any target (house, car, shed, etc.) complete this checklist soon!

Check to see if any large trees are planted less than 12 feet from a sidewalk, driveway or house. The recommendation is to plant large growing trees at least 12 feet away from sidewalks, driveways, etc. because they can cause damage by lifting and cracking. If you do have some large trees planted too close, consider consulting a certified arborist to determine if the tree needs the canopy thinned due to a lack of proper rooting area.

Walk around your trees to see if there are any girdling roots visible. A girdling root will be growing close to and around the trunk, eventually strangling the roots on one side of the tree. If a girdling root is present consult a certified arborist. Does your large tree have more then one main trunk? If yes, do the two trunks form a pronounced “V” where they come together? If yes, you will want to contact a certified arborist.

Has there been any construction activity within approximately 20 feet of the tree trunk within the last 10 years? If roots have been cut for a sidewalk, utilities, etc. the tree may be prone to falling in the opposite direction from where the roots were cut!

If you have an old (40-50 years old) laurel or water oak tree you may want to check out the base of the trunk and roots! After studying the last 11 hurricanes that have hit Florida since Andrew, the tree that has done the most damage has been the laurel oak. Both the laurel and water oaks begin to get root rot when they reach around 40 years old! A certified arborist can check the root system for signs of rot.

? Do you have a tree that has failed (lost a major limb or trunk) in a previous storm because it will most likely fail again. This is another finding that they discovered after studying the last 11 hurricanes. Trees that had lost limbs or had been blown over in a past storm are likely to do it again. You may want to consider removing the tree and planting a new one if you have had a tree fail before.

If you are in need of a certified arborist, the easiest way to find the most current list for Brevard County is to go to the website http://www.floridaisa.org/ and put the cursor on the second tab from the left, Tree Care Info., and click on “Find an Arborist”. Next, click on the down arrow by City and choose a city here in Brevard and then click on the button that says Search by City and or State/Province. Repeat this process a few times for a number of different cities to get a larger list of certified arborists to call and get quotes from.

Here is an important thing NOT TO DO to your palms before or during storm season – or any time for that matter! Do not let anyone do a “hurricane cut” on your palms to protect them from being blown over during a hurricane. Palms, in general, fair well through hurricanes, but the practice of removing all but a few of the fronds can actually make the palm more vulnerable during a wind storm or hurricane. When a palm has a large canopy it protects the bud, but when the majority of the fronds are removed the bud is more easily snapped by the wind. Once the bud is snapped the entire palm will die. So, do not let anyone, ever, remove any green or yellow fronds from your palms! When it comes to fronds, only the brown fronds should be removed from a palm.

Now, when it comes to after the storm it is pretty simple. Any trees or shrubs that have lost their leaves will be fine. Just make sure to water them if we aren’t receiving rain and they will leaf out again. Trees and shrubs that suffer broken limbs should just be cleaned up by pruning out the damaged limbs. Plants that have been blown over some (less than 45 degrees) should be set back up as soon as you can. If the tree is too heavy, like a citrus tree, you can leave it as it is and just continue to water and fertilize it. Trees or shrubs that have been totally blown over should just be cut up and removed. Remember, this is an opportunity to replant with a new tree!

Now that you know what to look for, go take an inventory of your large trees that could fall and cause property damage. If everything is looking good, then you will have fewer things to worry about during a storm.