Guest Author - Katelyn Thomas

When your home is in the path of a hurricane, it is easy to forget about your yards and gardens. However, severe yard damage can be very upsetting and may even prove hazardous. Although you cannot avoid all damage, there are several ways you can lessen severe hurricane damage.

1. Check trees for dead or damaged limbs. A weak tree branch can become a deadly missle in heavy storms, so it is best to prune trees now. Ask your local arborist to limb up and shape trees with heavy foliage so that the trees will catch less wind. Have any diseased trees cut down now so that they do not fall the wrong way during the storm.
2. Also, call your local utility company and ask them to send a truck out to prune branches that are hanging over electrical wires to lessen the likelihood of a power outage.
3. If you have recently transplanted top heavy grasses, perennials or shrubs, their roots may not be well established. You may want to prune these plants back to avoid having them lift out of the ground during the storm. (I learned this from experience after a recently transplanted grass fell over during a hurricane.)
4. Bring potted plants indoors or place them on the ground, preferably tucked beside porches or next to house walls.
5. Collapse all outdoor furniture and store it in the shed. If you cannot store it, lay it flat on the ground next to the house.
6. Don't forget your garden ornaments. If possible, store them in your basement or shed. If there is no room, make sure you place items such as gazing balls and bird bath tops flat on the ground in a sheltered spot. Don't forget to look up as you are collecting ornaments. Wind chimes and bird feeders may not be able to withstand the strong winds.
7. Collect seeds or take cuttings from prize plants in case they do not survive the storm.