Protecting Trees and Landscape

Minimize hurricane damage by letting us care for your trees. Call us for a consultation today.
June 1st is the official starting date for Florida's Hurricane season. Much of the most common damage caused by hurricanes are to the trees and landscape. There is still time to evaluate your trees for potential hazards. Storm damage can most certainly be minimized by implementing a tree management plan. That is where Southern Cuts of Florida comes into play. There are certain species of trees that have not done well during hurricanes in the past, these trees need to be evaluated closely:
  • Laurel Oak - Trees decay as they reach about 40 years old; roots rot, bark inclusions cause weakness.
  • China-berry - Wood is weak; prevention is difficult.
  • Red Maple - Bark inclusions are common; branches with inclusions break easily in storms; preventative pruning can help minimize damage.
  • Pines - Pine branches broke and trunks snapped; prevention is difficult.
  • Pecan - Poor structure resulted in breakage; trees can be preventively pruned to minimize this.
  • Southern Red Cedar - Weak wood breaks in strong storms; prevention is difficult.
Learn the warning signs of dangerous trees....
A tree’s condition before a storm will determine how safe that tree is during a storm. Home owners often do not notice there is an issue with their trees until it is too late because they don't know what signs to look out for. It is important to identify and treat potential problems before they result in damage to people, property or the trees themselves.
Warning signs of potential tree dangers can include:
  • Dead, hanging or broken branches
  • Branches approaching too closely to homes or structures
  • Tree branches coming near or in contact with utility wires
  • Heaving soil at tree base indicating an unsound root system
  • Peeling bark or gaping wounds in the trunk indicating weakness
  • Hollow areas on the trunk or main limbs that indicate a decayed stem
  • Structural weakness such as cracked stems (trunks) that could cause catastrophic failure of a tree
  • Leaning trees indicating a root problem or one-sided trees
  • Insect infestation
  • Diseased trees
According to research performed by the University of Florida, proper pruning can reduce the risk of storm damage, and crown reduction or thinning could reduce wind damage, as wind resistance is important for a tree to remain standing after a hurricane.
If you suspect you have a dangerous tree give Southern Cuts of Florida a call to come out and evaluate your tree. We will give you an educated and informed treatment or removal plan after assessing the tree.