Cleaning up after stormy weather can be a big ordeal for homeowners. This can require a lot of time and effort to restore landscaping back to its original shape before the storm. After mother nature makes her way through your area with a storm, it is best to have a solid clean-up plan. Here are a few tips on how to fix landscaping after a storm has passed through.
1) Identify Hazards:
First determine any access issues to the home, entrances, cars or exits on the property and identify potential dangers such as unstable trees and limbs hanging in tree canopies. Working in conditions with high visibility after the storm is important for a successful cleanup.
2) Use Great Caution:
Trees are very heavy and can cause serious injuries or even death. When cutting and removing, trees can shift or roll. Another potential danger is the chainsaw or other cutting device you use to cut and remove a tree. Only experienced operators should be using this equipment during the heavy lifting part of the cleanup.
3) Inspect Standing Trees for Instability:
You should assess needs that may need to be met regarding additional tree trimming in order to stabilize and rebalance a tree that was damaged and had limbs and other debris removed. Even a tree that fully survived a storm may still be damaged internally. You should closely inspect the tree to see if any structural damage occurred. You may also want to remove some stable, but unsightly trees as well.
4) Prune Smaller Plants Affected by the Storm:
Smaller trees, shrubs, and perennials are also greatly affected by storms. You will also need to look closely and determine if the plant can be salvaged or needs to be removed. Every plant will heal differently, and some may not be able to overcome the damage done by the storm.
5) Inspect for Drainage Problems:
Storms will likely produce heavy rain that can wipe away landscape and your drainage system could also be altered. Look to see if there is any soil erosion and changes with the site drainage and figure out if a problem exists and how best to fix it. Also, you should remove and replace any mulch that was washed out of plant beds.
6) Beware of Standing Water:
Standing water can attract all kinds of bugs, especially mosquitos. You should wear protective clothing and gloves and keep open cuts or sores exposed to stormwater as clean as possible.
Damage from severe storms may look like its done when the storm is over, but there are many things that you should consider before attempting to clean up you're landscaping. Developing a well-organized plan can help you get your landscape back to looking as beautiful as it did before the storm ever hit.
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Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
Semper-Fi
Eric