Hurricanes and tropical storms hit Frisco almost every year, causing massive damage to homes and the landscape. Often times, we will stock up on essentials and make sure our homes are protected but rarely do we remember to secure the most important members of our landscapes – trees.
Making your trees more hurricane-resistant can help prevent the damage they are likely to suffer during a major storm. In this post, we discuss a few tips for preparing trees for the hurricane season Frisco residents should be aware of. Let’s start!
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6 Things You Can Do To Get Your Trees Ready For Hurricane Season Frisco
The high winds and strong rains from a hurricane can wreak havoc on stressed and weak trees, causing branches to break or trees to uproot. Here is how to prepare your trees for the next storm in Frisco.
1. Plant The Right Tree At The Right Place
The best way to keep your trees protected during a storm is picking the right species, meaning, you have to invest in those that are more wind resistant. These will usually have spaced branches, one dominant trunk, and straight roots.
While at it, know how tall or wide your tree will grow and whether it will fit in the desired spot or not. Tall, wide trees should be planted far away from houses. If you don’t have a big yard, select species that remain relatively small. You want to make sure your tree won’t grow over your house or hit power lines.
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2. Trim Your Trees Correctly
Proper trimming is also an important factor for preparing trees for the hurricane season Frisco homeowners should consider. Trim your trees right from their young age so they can develop a strong framework of healthy, well-spaced branches along a dominant trunk.
Before the storm, remove damaged or dead branches that may fall on people, buildings, or cars. Branches with cracks and those that are overly long should be shortened or removed completely too.
Avoid ‘lion tailing’ your trees. Lion tailing is when you cut off all the small branches from the larger ones such that all the foliage is left at the end of the branch. This practice not only leaves the tree stressed but also makes its top heavy, which increases its risk of damage by the storm. The heavy winds will grab the tree at the ends and pull it out of the soil.
Tree trimming is a task you can do on your own. But if your trees are taller than 15 feet, it would be wise to hire a professional tree trimming Frisco service.
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3. Stake Newly Planted Trees
If you have baby trees in your yard, make sure they are properly staked before the hurricane. Newly planted trees do not have roots as strong as older or more established trees, which means, they are not sturdily anchored to the ground.
Drive a few tie-downs into the ground to support young trees. Ensure the tie-downs are loose enough to allow the trees to move freely in the wind but relatively tight to keep the tree protected during the storm.
4. Examine Drainage Areas
Check the drainage system and remove all debris and dirt from storm drains. If your storm drains are clogged with dirt, storm water won’t be able to flow away as it should, which could result in flooding. This stagnant water will loosen the root system and may cause trees to fall after the hurricane.
5. Prepare Your Yard Too
Make your yard hurricane-ready by removing all furniture, yard decorations, and tools from the yard before the storm. Secure any loose items in the garage or shed; these can become dangerous projectiles if left unattended.
If there are any dead trees in your compound, cut them down. You could do this yourself or enlist the services of a tree removal Texas company.
6. Bring Potted Trees Inside
Small and delicate trees should be brought into the house or garage, as these are more likely to die from the storm in Frisco. If you don’t have enough space inside, wedge these trees behind hedges or any other place where they will be kept safe from the wind.
Group large potted trees closely together to secure them. You can even lay them on their sides if you have limited space. Just make sure they are tucked out of the wind.
Does Frisco Texas Get Tornadoes?
Yes, Frisco Texas does get Tornadoes. In fact, the risk of tornadoes in Frisco has been found to be much higher than Texas average. This area alone has a total of 125 recorded tornado events, all with a magnitude of 2 or above.
Tornadoes in Frisco may occur at any time of the year, any hour of the day. However, they have been found to occur with greater frequency toward the end of spring and in the beginning of summer.
Is Frisco TX Safe?
Yes, Frisco TX is a relatively safe place to live. The overall crime rate here is 14 per 1, 000 residents, which is about the average for all towns and cities of all sizes in the US.
Many families live in this Texas area and in one of the most current crime and safety surveys, most residents stated that there are usually no major crimes to speak of and even for minor crimes, the police are very visible and responsive.
The Local Tree Experts Overview
When it comes to keeping trees safe during the hurricane season Frisco residents can follow the aforementioned tips not only to prepare the trees for the storm but also to minimize damage to their landscapes.
When trees are well maintained and cared for, they are able to adjust to seasonal storms or any other changes in climate better than those that don’t get regular maintenance. Hopefully, there won’t be any severe storm in Frisco during the hurricane season, but even then, it is important to make sure your trees are prepared.
