The weather is getting more severe every year with climate change upon us. Devastating storms and hurricanes have pounded the southeastern shores of the U.S. for several years and there is no end in sight.
Protecting your home and family is your priority. Severe weather will only damage your home, but it can make a mess of your landscaping and gardens. After spending hours toiling away on your property to create your own personal natural oasis, it is heartbreaking to end up having everything flattened by a storm.
Many policies, like Allstate home insurance coverage, will often cover some of your exterior losses but, there are some things that you can do to be proactive in protecting your landscaping, gardens, and trees. Follow these steps to create a storm resistant garden that will hold up under the worst storm conditions.
Wind Resistant Plants
When the winds get high, plants and trees that are taller will be more susceptible to damage from a powerful storm. Consider planting lower profile trees and bushes that won’t catch the wind as much. Look for trees and plants that are known to be flexible and hardy. Live oaks, small palm varieties, and gumbo limbo trees are great options to withstand high winds and severe storms.
Tree Placement
Although you may want to use larger trees to help shade your home, in areas where you are in danger of hurricane damage it’s best to plant farther away from structures. Dropping limbs and trees collapsing onto your home can cause damage and even injury.
Planting trees together in clusters or groups is a good way to strengthen the root systems and create a more secure tree system. Cypress trees and live oaks have massive and secure root systems that help them survive tropical weather and massive storms.
Rock Gardens
If you are looking for an attractive but low maintenance alternative for your landscaping you should consider building a rock and gravel garden. Choose sturdy low profile plants, cacti and palms to decorate your gravel flower beds. Colorful groundcover plants can be used to add texture and beauty to this simplistic look.
Maintenance
One of the best ways to protect your trees and garden plants from storm damage is to have a regular maintenance and pruning schedule. Remove all broken, dead or damaged limbs instead of leaving them to ride out a storm. They are more likely to break free and cause damage than to be able to ride out bad weather.
One of the most common causes of injury during a hurricane is from flying debris, so make sure that your trees are properly pruned before bad weather moves in.
Regular pruning can help improve the general health of your trees and create a strong core. Keep the crown of your trees a bit thinner to help them have better wind resistance.
Protection
When large storm systems are approaching you generally have at least a few days warning before the worst hits. You should take this time to wrap and protect your plants everywhere you can. Use a sturdy burlap or plastic tarp anchored to the ground to keep most of the severe weather from damaging your plants.
Conclusion
It’s possible to create a lush and creative garden while still thinking about how to protect your landscaping from storm damage. Before you plant, design your gardens with storm resistant plants and trees that will stand up to storm damage and remain a beautiful part of your home for many years.
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