By Alyssa Stoner
•
07 Jun, 2023
In Southwest Florida, the beginning of summer is a time when locals, year-round or seasonal, prepare for the worst weather –i.e. stock up on gallons of water and food items, or buy a generator. With everything going on, they are continuously anxious about the damage and hard hit their landscape will take if a catastrophic hurricane will make its destructive way through the area. Your trees will definitely suffer during a hurricane, but what can be done once the storm has passed? Saving the trees on your property, from palm to dogwood and oak trees, is a possibility because the ones that manage to fall down can be set back up again by a professional tree service. The experts will most likely stake the tree and leave the stake there for a minimum of 6 months. If you want to partake in the tree care, water the trees every day for 2-6 weeks. If it rains a lot, which will most likely happen, skip a few days and save the water. Let’s talk about tree pruning! –nevertheless, what does ‘pruning’ a tree mean? Pruning is the most common tree maintenance procedure. Unlike forest trees, landscape trees need a higher level of care to maintain structural integrity, especially after a hurricane or bad weather. Pruning must be done with knowledge of tree biology because improper pruning can shorten a tree’s life and cause more damage. It’s important to prune regularly and not just after a harsh storm. Plus, if you don’t prune them beforehand, a heavy storm will do it and that puts more work on you or a professional to bring its beauty back to life. Carefully examine your trees for any cracks in the trunks and major branches. When pruning the top, make sure it’s equally pruned so that your tree isn’t fighting to keep the leaves (or fronds) hydrated when it’s also trying to grow new roots. Use a pruning tool or chainsaw to clean up jagged ends and cut it carefully at an angle. If there are larger broken branches, they should be pruned to where that branch forks if the bark is still intact. Despite having to deal with the hurricane aftermath, even the most stunning trees can become overgrown and difficult to manage overtime. Through pruning and regular preservation, you can reduce the size of the tree, thus extending its life and enhancing your landscape in a visually attractive way. Pruning can protect your home, property and family. Standard pruning removes dead branches and other areas of concern around the tree. By doing this, your home and family are safe from falling branches. You can also remove low-growing branches as well. Depending on the location of the tree, it can be a hazard. For example, if a tree is within close proximity to a walkway or driveway, it can trip a person walking by. If you’re interested, a qualified person can discuss various options with you such as thinning, cleaning, topping, and reduction. Stay on top of your tree maintenance and consult with someone if you don’t want to add landscaping to your to-do list. www.davietreeservice.com (239)- 693-5042