Are your plants hurricane ready?

Let's face it. When a hurricane comes, your plants will almost inevitably take a beating. However there are things you can do to save some plants, and help others weather the storm. So, after you get your water, food, batteries, and flashlights ready, it's time to take care of your flora friends.

For potted plants:

• Any plants that you can move into the house, or an enclosed are that will not flood nor get sweltering hot.

• Any plants that cannot be moved inside, try to move them against the side of the house or against a sturdy fence to block much of the wind.

• Stabilize any outdoor plants with stakes, twine, or by covering with a sheet of plastic that has slits or small holes in it to prevent being taken by the wind and is also secured to the ground. It is also a good idea to lay large potted plants down, to drastically reduce wind damage.

For trees:

• There's really only one thing you can do, last minute, to protect your trees. Prune. Reduce the length of branches so they are more difficult for the wind to break the limbs or even the whole tree.

However, there are some things you can do, for trees, early on that will help when hurricane season rolls back around.

Here's some sage advice from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida.

• Plant tree species that are high quality, have good structure and are more wind resistant such as:

• Crape myrtle
• Cabbage Palm
• Dogwood
• Live Oak
• Southern Magnolia
• Sweetgum

• Match recommended species to the local site conditions. Consider soil properties (soil depth, water table and compaction) and aerial space needed for a mature-sized tree. Avoid planting trees near power lines or close to buildings.

• Consider planting trees in groups of five or more as opposed to individually. But be sure to give trees adequate rooting space with no obstructions.

• Plant a variety of species, ages, layers of trees and shrubs to maintain diversity.

• Establish a structural pruning program early on. This will reduce the length of branches competing with the main trunk, promoting optimal tree health.

• Take a look at this IFAS Extension manual on Assessing Damage and Restoring Trees after a Hurricane for more information about preparing for and recovering from a hurricane.Click here for hurricane preparation tips for nursery growers.