As a whole, Floridians do a great job of preparing their homes and families for hurricanes. And while, understandably, the people and things inside your home are of most importance, there are steps you can take to prepare and protect the landscaping outside.
Regular maintenance is obviously important. A well-trimmed, tidy landscape has less of a chance of wreaking havoc on your property than an overgrown, cluttered one.
But what you plant can be even more important than how well you trim it. Large, wide trees are great for providing shade from the intense Florida sunshine. But big trees have big roots, and those can become a liability even during category one storm. Yet native trees, palms and plants – like the live oak, southern magnolia, bald cypress, sea grape, and sabal palm – are all able to withstand strong winds. Not only are they able to endure the ferocity of major storms, but they also protect your property. That’s because when groups of trees and plants that tolerate high winds are strategically placed in the landscape, they create a wind protection of up to about 30 feet high.
Short of moving out of the state, there’s nothing we can do about hurricane season. Fortunately, there’s plenty we can do to prepare our families, our property, and our yards for them.