Storm season is just a few weeks away for Nashville, and your landscape needs to be prepared for the unpredictable weather this season brings. Here are some of the services to keep in mind so you’re ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at your property.
Essential Tree and Landscape Services for Storm Season
Tree Removal
Trees pose the largest risk to your home and property during a storm. In Nashville, we’re no strangers to storm damage, but preparing each year can sometimes fall toward the bottom of our task list. Unfortunately, storm damage from spring and summer storms isn’t something we can just overlook. Each year, damage from tornadoes, floods, and thunderstorms, does millions of dollars in damage to public and private property in and around Nashville.
While we often treat storms as unpredictable forces of nature, that’s not entirely true. We can predict when they’re at their worst, and we can get ready for it by removing trees that pose issues to our property. Having a certified arborist perform an inspection of your property now can keep severe damage from happening when the storm season does begin. Hidden signs of rot or decay in a tree aren’t always easy to see, especially to the untrained eye. An arborist can perform storm-ready tree service, removing trees and limbs that are at risk of falling. When you compare the cost of tree service to that of emergency removal and waiting for insurance payouts after storm damage, you can save a lot by being prepared.
Before you consider attempting tree removal yourself to prevent storm damage to your trees, don’t get in over your head. The DIY approach can work, but tree removal is dangerous. At The Parke Company, we are fully insured and qualified to remove trees and have the proper equipment to do it efficiently (and more importantly, safely). Tree removal doesn’t need to be costly or stressful, so let us give you a free consultation and estimate. Removing trees from your property can be difficult, whether they have sentimental value or simply enrich your landscaping, and we respect that. But sometimes, it simply needs to be done for safety, and that is always more important than aesthetics.
Tree and Bush Pruning
Sometimes, a whole tree doesn’t need to be removed to prevent storm damage. In these cases, a little pruning might be all you need to ensure your property is ready. So, how do you prepare a tree for a storm? Pruning is an important way to extend a tree’s lifespan and prevent rot, disease, or pests. Pruning is another task, like tree removal, that is more difficult than you might think. Simply removing branches from a tree or shrub without properly cutting the branch can leave the tree vulnerable to further damage.
Trees and bushes are living organisms, and cuts must be made in a particular way to ensure that they heal properly. The season also matters, as pruning a tree during the wrong time of year can leave it lagging behind its peers as it attempts to heal from the pruning and grow its roots and leaves. The best time of year to prune is in the winter. Since trees are dormant, they can devote their energy and resources exclusively to healing the wound. This helps a tree reach a healthier stage quickly, rather than committing half its time to healing and risking disease and pest infestations. When spring storms do roll through our area, well-pruned trees are less likely to drop branches, as any unhealthy sections of the tree were already removed. Arborists at The Parke Company are extremely skilled at assessing your trees’ overall health and ensuring that they’re prepared for storm season. Rest easy knowing that your trees are prepared for wind and rain this spring by pruning now.
Mulching and Drainage Enhancements
One very overlooked part of any yard is drainage. It’s not something we generally notice as a problem until it’s too late. Storm landscape preparations should absolutely include an assessment of your property’s water readiness. Nashville spring rainfall can really add up, and if it’s allowed to accumulate in low-lying areas, it can lead to issues for your lawn. Pooling water can oversaturate the ground, leading to fungal growth and damage to the vegetation from too much water. Grass can die, and trees can become over-watered. It can also weaken root systems by softening the ground and causing rot that occurs below the soil. So besides adding topsoil to your lawn to ensure the flow of water away from your home, what else can you do with drainage? Installing eco-friendly rain barrels is an excellent way to turn lemons into lemonade, catching that spring rain to use later in the year as summer dryness sets in.
Options for rainwater harvesting include additions to your home’s existing gutter system or other free-standing basins. A dry well is another effective way to catch a great deal of water and keep it from harming your landscaping. When used in tandem with other drainage methods like a French drain or yard drains, these can be effective repositories for high volumes of rainwater. Another benefit to removing standing water from your property is pest control. Keeping your yard properly hydrated and free of standing water is an effective way to curb the mosquito population, which is something we desperately need each summer.
Running water from torrential rain can expose roots or even uproot smaller plants too, so ensuring that your property is graded correctly is crucial when heavy rain is in the future. The best way to prevent damage to your plants and their roots from a lot of flowing water is by ensuring that garden beds are mulched. Mulch is an effective way to combat soil erosion and protect smaller plants and roots. It’s never too late to add mulch to your landscaping, and it has other great effects on your plants throughout the year, including temperature regulation and water retention in the dry summer months.
Weather the Storm Season With The Parke Company
It’s important to be proactive with tree and landscape maintenance in preparation for Nashville’s nasty storm season. To work with local professionals to ensure you’re ready for anything that might come this spring, give us a call at The Parke Company today.