We’ve put together some recommendations for handling hurricane damage to your plants.
Tree Damage
a. If the tree was planted in the last few years, prune any dead or broken branches away and watch in the coming weeks as additional dead branches may start to show. Prune as you see them.
b. If the tree was uprooted or is leaning, stand it back up if possible and secure it with new stakes to keep it from falling again.
c. Older trees that are leaning may require more force to bring them upright. For some older trees, falling over and breaking that many roots is just too much. You should be able to tell within a few days if enough roots are still connected for the tree to live.
d. Don’t overwater, but as we enter our dry season make sure that trees get a deep soaking once per week. And watch your tree – if lots of roots were damaged, you may have to increase watering frequency as the root system regrows.
e. Fertilize with a complete, balanced fertilizer like Espoma Organic® Plant-tone® or our Kerby’s Special. That will give the tree the nutrients that it needs to recover.
Palms
a. Palms are naturally good at taking the wind, but begin pruning damaged fronds once they are more than 50% yellow or brown.
b. If a palm is leaning and is recently planted, straighten it and secure with a solid stake.
c. Especially if it seems like many roots were damaged, pay attention to your watering schedule.
Shrub Damage
a. If your shrubs got a good dose of wind damage, be patient. Prune dead branches and broken branches, but don’t prune the entire shrub severely right away. In the coming weeks, they will likely lose leaves that were damaged in the wind, but any green leaves remaining are helping deliver nutrients to the plants. Give them a little time to make sure they are alive, and then you can start pruning to get them back into shape.
b. If a tree or large branches landed on a shrub, cut away any parts of the shrub that are snapped or broken. And just like with the wind damage, be patient. A few weeks will tell you if there are any other broken or damaged parts that weren’t immediately apparent. Wait to do a severe prune until you know the shrub is OK.
c. Like with trees, don’t overwater, but make sure as we enter dry season that you give regular deep soakings. Weekly to start, or more frequently if a plant also had some root damage.
d. Fertilize with a complete, balanced fertilizer like Espoma Organic Plant-tone or our Kerby’s Special. That will give the shrub the nutrients that it needs to recover.
Flowers
a. Smaller flowers low to the ground don’t always get a lot of damage, but they may have had their buds and blooms blown off. That’s normal, and most will recover. Deadhead as needed (that’s snipping off finishing blooms) and prune any dead branches away.
b. You’ll also likely see browning or yellowing foliage where there was wind damage. Prune leaves off as the damage becomes apparent.
c. Fertilizer with a complete, balanced fertilizer like Espoma Organic Plant-tone or our Kerby’s Special. That will give the flowers the nutrients that they need to recover.
d. Keep to your watering schedule, especially as we enter dry season.
Flooding Issues
a. Freshwater flooding can cause disease or fungus issues. Watch for signs of rot or decay on branches, trunks, or branch/leaf dieback, which may be an indication of root rot.
b. Allow plants to dry out, but don’t let them go bone dry. Going from too wet to too dry can really stress plants.
c. If you had saltwater flooding, it could take some time to flush the salt out of your soil. Irrigate the area with 1 to 2 inches of fresh water weekly, over the course of 6 to 8 weeks, to begin working the salt out of your soil. It can take months for it all to work through.
And of course, we are here at the Nursery if you have any questions.