Pleasant Landscapes

Hurricane Season is Upon Us

It has been twenty-one years since our last devastating hurricane hit here in the Lowcountry. Most of the trees, shrubbery and evidence of it’s devastation have been erased. Living in coastal South Carolina we should always keep in our mind that a hurricane can be upon us in just a matter of days. That is why now is the time to prepare your home, yard, and a contingency plan in case of a major hurricane. As far as your yard and home are concerned, I am personally against cutting down every tree in the yard as a safety measure. I have been requested to do this in the past . Some trees that you should consider trimming or cutting include branches that touch the home or roof. These should be removed to at least 10 feet from the home. If we get a mild hurricane or tropical storm, these branches can sway in the wind and break windows and remove shingles. You should also inspect the rest of your trees for any unhealthy trees or dead branches that may fall. Even in a small wind storm they can become dislodged or break the tree and cause serious damage to your home, lawn, or automobile. Trees that are disproportionately weighted to one side or the other should be leveled out for a better balance in case they are pushed by the wind. On your larger trees you may also wish to thin out the canopy. This will allow the tree to handle more wind because the surface area of the canopy is not so thick. Thinning the canopy also has a secondary affect of allowing more sunlight to reach the plants below it. I probley see three to four hundred lawns per year in which plants or lawns were planted in what used to be full sun ten years ago, but where over time the tree canopy has grown so full that the lawn below has died out. If you look under a large tree and see nothing but dirt, you most likely have a shade problem for that section of the lawn. Something will almost always grow be it grass, weeds or plants if enough sunlight is present.

This time of year is also a good time to have a contingency plan for how you are going to secure your property in the event of a major hurricane or storm. Right now, while there is no storm brewing off the coast, materials to protect your windows and doors are relatively cheap and easy to obtain. Once a hurricane warning occurs all companies that supply these products have a hard time keeping up with demand. Many years ago I precut ply board to fit over my windows and doors, I spray painted the location of each board to match it with the correct window or door so that in the event of a major storm I could have my company secure these over the windows quickly and efficiently. I then had them stacked neatly underneath my home. We placed them on top of some cinderblocks to prevent moisture and terminate damage. You can be sure that during a hurricane rush I will not be standing in line to secure my own house, but I might be standing in line to secure yours.  Also remember to consider where you want to store your outdoor furniture, plants, statues, etc. as they may become airborne during heavy winds. Most customers prefer to have these items stored away in a closed off area such as a garage.

Our business as well as others will normally run a list of people that may or may not want their hurricane protection put up. Sometimes it is a hard call since no one can ever predict where a hurricane will hit until the last few hours. In the event of a hurricane we will often start calling the names on a pre-determined list to see who needs help with their install.  Waiting until the last twenty-four hours to install hurricane protection can often be a recipe for disaster. On the other hand, putting them up too early can be a waste of time and money due to the fact the hurricane may never hit. This is why having well marked and pre-fabed material is so crucial if you live in the Low country.

And as always, if you have any gardening or landscaping questions please feel free to call or email me and I’ll try to answer you as soon as possible.

James Parker