Preparing Trees for Summer Storm Season

Stephen Davis, Cooperative Extension Service program assistant, demonstrates proper pruning techniques during a Master Gardener monthly educational meeting in May.

Stephen Davis, Cooperative Extension Service program assistant, demonstrates proper pruning techniques during a Master Gardener monthly educational meeting in May.

No tree is guaranteed to withstand hurricane-force winds, but you can minimize potential damage to your home by preparing your landscape trees for summer storms.
Take some time to carefully look at each canopy tree in your landscape. Properly prune out all dead or damaged branches, then remove any crossing or rubbing branches, and finally, remove branches that are narrowly attached to the tree trunk. This pruning routine will prevent the dead branches from falling out of the tree and will help thin out the tree canopy to allow winds to easily pass through.

It is much easier to prune a young tree rather than a large, overgrown specimen. If you are hesitant about trimming the tree yourself, you can contact a certified arborist at isaarbor.com

For tips on proper pruning, please plan on attending a free program offered by the Cooperative Extension Service. “Tree Risk Assessment and How to Decrease Liability by Identifying and Decreasing Tree Hazards” will be held on Saturday, August 11, 10-11:30 a.m., at the Mounts Building Auditorium, 531 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Please call the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service at 233-1759 to register.