Lawn Maintenance & Preparation for a Hurricane

If you live along the Texas Gulf coast, you should always stay prepared during hurricane season. In light of the 2017 devastation we experienced from Hurricane Harvey, it’s especially important to prepare our property and family. For example, one thing to do is always plan ahead in protecting your home from flooding and flying debris. This ultimately saves time and money after the storm is over. Yet, another important thing to do is to ensure proper lawn maintenance.  And if you need extra help, reach out for tips and information from your friends at Archer Lawn Services. Whether you have experienced dozens of hurricanes or haven’t before, professional lawn and landscape providers always provide the best lawn maintenance tips to help you get ready as you prepare for hurricanes.

Hurricane Preparation Tips

Below are a few ways that expert lawn maintenance providers help ensure that your yard is ready for hurricane season:

Keep Branches Pruned

If you have trees on your lawn, you’ll want to keep dead or dying branches cut down. When heavy storm winds hit, these types of branches are most likely to fall or fly through the air. And if they are large tree branches, they become a serious hazard during hurricanes. Always check with your lawn care provider about pruning branches that you cannot reach, or don’t have the proper equipment to remove on your own.

Properly Stake New Trees

Since younger trees do not have a similar root system as older ones, their ground anchorage will not be as strong as that of mature trees. As a result, damaging hurricane winds can easily uproot them. Therefore, it’s best to place a 2×4 into the ground to securely tie your new tree trunk to it. Also, you’ll want to ensure that you’re not tying the tree too loose, otherwise the rope will fall off and not be effective.

Check Your Drainage System

If you have storm drains around your yard, check and ensure that they are free from debris. Unfortunately, blocked drains will keep stormwater from properly flowing and you increase chances of flooding in your yard and even your neighbor’s yard. Standing water is a health hazard for your lawn and landscape, causing trees to fall, overwatering, and a diseased lawn.

Small and Large Potted Plants

For homeowners who have various small and delicate plants, they will need to keep them inside when a hurricane is coming. However, if you have large potted plants that are too big and heavy to bring in the house, find a secure place to lay them on their side. Placing them on their side alongside a structured building is best for offering protection from damaging winds.

Turn Sprinklers Off

You will want to make sure to turn off your irrigation system before a hurricane, especially if it doesn’t automatically turn off during the rain. However, it never hurts to check on your own to ensure that it is off or do a manual shut off. Also, keep in mind that once the rains stop, your soil will remain saturated with water. So be sure to test the soil a bit later to know when to turn the system back on. If you’re unsure, consult with your lawn maintenance professionals.

Do You Have a Hurricane Preparation Checklist?

For those of us who know, hurricane season can be a very stressful time for many homeowners. Unfortunately, this reality becomes more apparent when a storm is heading directly to your area. But with a little planning, however, your family, home, and lawn will be ready. Many local services areas will make various hurricane checklists available to serve as a resource for you in getting prepared. However, if you need more details and information on preparing your lawn and landscape, connect with Archer Services. Because we know how important a yard is for any property, we want to help ensure your property is secured for a hurricane. Call 281-203-7615.