For:
By: Daniel E. Mullins
Extension Horticultural Agent
Gardening and Plant Care Decisions After the
Storm
Hurricane Ivan has
caused us to reevaluate our landscapes along with other aspects of
Most homeowners are working their way toward recovery – protecting partially damaged roofs from leaks, removing uprooted trees and trying to salvage what is left.
Obviously, all of this work must be done in an orderly fashion, with the most critical needs coming first. Once the house is taken care of and debris has been cleared, examine and evaluate the remaining landscape.
Due to the loss of trees, many areas that were once shady will now be exposed to full sunlight or partial shade. After the labor intensive cleanup work is done, I will be able to grow sun loving annuals and perennials as well as some of the new dwarf and semi-dwarf crape myrtles for the first time in a long time. I also plan to do a better job of placing new trees.
The replacement of trees should be done based upon several factors. Some species are more wind resistant than others. However, this storm was so strong that all kinds of trees were severely damaged or blown over.
One of the best ways to protect against house damage is to calculate what is known as the “fall radius” prior to planting large growing trees. This is a common sense approach and is easy to determine. Simply find out the mature height of each tree species that will be planted and establish it no closer to the house than that.
Also,
observe the trees that held up best in your area and put some of them on your
tree list. There are several other
species from which to choose, but if wind resistance is the major concern, live
oak should be the first choice. Many of
the oaks that came down during the storm were laurel oaks.
Most partially uprooted shrubs can be saved by standing them up straight as soon as possible and filling any depressions near the plants with soil. Staking will be required in some cases. Finish the job by watering thoroughly to settle the soil and fill air pockets created by root heaving.
Some shade loving shrubs will eventually need to be moved to another location. I am already seeing signs of sunburn on Camellias. Likewise, azaleas that have been sheltered for years under a tree canopy are sure to experience stress if left in full sunlight.
These are only a few things for the gardener to consider over the next few months. Though there has been much damage to local landscapes, it might help to think of this experience as a new beginning, or at least a chance to make some positive changes. I know that in my case, I have no choice but to make some long overdue changes in our landscape.
Want to know more about tree selection or helping plants to recover from hurricane damage? Your local Florida Extension office can provide advice and publications.
Note: Be wary when hiring
others to do tree removal and yard cleanup work. Make certain that the person or business is
properly licensed, bonded and insured before entering and working on your
property. Remember that most reputable
local landscape maintenance and tree care professionals have a backlog of work.