Are You Ready?

Hurricane Preparedness for Home Landscapes

Most of us are watching the tropics in anticipation of a developing storm. When and where it may strike, keeps us watching the weather. Distant memories of hurricane Katrina and hurricane Ike has makes us realize the importance of preparation. Routine maintenance around the yard can speed up last-minute preparations for a storm. So, how do we protect our assets and allow for better response times from emergency and cleanup crews in our community?  A few weeks ago I was walking around the neighborhood, looking at landscapes, as usual, when I realized that most of the landscapes had many items that will become airborne during high winds.  This short walk around the block became a good column to remind us how to prepare for the worst and to be proactive in the event of a storm.  Walk around your neighborhood and ask yourself “Will that withstand 100mph winds and where will it land after it becomes airborne?”

Checklist for hurricane preparation in landscapes           

Number 1: Trim out all dead wood from your trees and remove sick or diseased trees.   These branches can break off during heavy winds and cause damage to your home. One thing I would like to mention. Carefully evaluate removal of limbs and trees. Your safety is very important and some jobs may appear easier than what they truly can be.  It will be worth your time to get several estimates from different tree trimming companies. Keep in mind there are two questions that need to be asked when getting estimates.  A. Do they utilize the three cut method? B. Is their company insured? The three cut method is utilized to minimize damage to the tree. C. Is the company insured? An insured tree trimming company protects its workers, rather than a mishap falling under your homeowner’s insurance. Diseased trees with decaying trunks or limbs are considered hazard trees and should be removed.  Weak or diseased trees will uproot or break during high winds.  Where do you think these trees will fall?  Since winds from storms typically come from multiple directions, it is possible that the tree may end up in your home or your neighbors’ homes. Eliminating these trees will help keep homes intact and keep water penetration into your home at a minimum.  

Number 2: Remove or secure all patio furniture and other yard art.  Small potted plants and decorative garden pieces can become projectiles that will contribute to additional property damage.  Garden art and patio furniture can be thrown around, especially in backyards and damage the home landscape.  Limiting the amount of flying debris will also minimize damage to landscape plants, which will increase the chances of survival after a storm.

Number 3: Remove and secure other items around the home.  So you ask, “What’s left?”  (Small pieces of wood, wind chimes, trellises, bird houses, water features, BBQ pits, bird feeders, garden hoses, sprinklers and yard tools.) If you have children, let’s not forget all of the play equipment and toys that are around the yard.  Even trampolines and pools need to be taken into consideration.

Regular maintenance around the home can save you time, when it comes to preparing for a storm.  Periodic inspection and maintenance of the roof, fascia boards and siding will also decrease or minimize flying debris.  Taking these steps will help give emergency and cleanup crews prompt access to our city in the event of a hurricane.  This will also allow citizens quicker access their neighborhoods and homes.  ARE YOU PREPARED?  If you would like more information on preparing for disasters, here are several websites and phone numbers for references: 

Preparing for the Unexpected - https://agrilifebookstore.org/

Texas AgriLife Extension and Texas Dept. of State Health Services sponsored publication for preparing for disasters.

2-1-1 Texas First Call For Help - www.211.org or Dial 2-1-1

For non-emergency information and referral. Information on evacuation routes and locations of food and shelter during a disaster will be available.

Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) - http://texashelp.tamu.edu  Provides access to resources on disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Federal Emergency Management Agency - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/   Provides resources for all types of disaster information, as well as information about different types of disasters.

American Humane Society Animal Emergency Service - www.americanhumane.org

Provides rescue and support services for pets and other animals during and after a disaster.

PREPARE FOR FALL VEGETABLE GARDEN

Do not count yourself out when it comes to planting a fall vegetable garden.  This past spring and summer has taken a toll on vegetable gardens.  The drought and heat put many vegetable gardens in harm’s way.  There are several things that will help you will have a successful fall garden.

Start with a plan

Putting a little thought into the selection of vegetable will allow you to properly space your vegetables and allow for better production.  Drawing a diagram on a seasonal basis will allow you to keep track of what vegetables were planted and where they were located in the garden.  Keep in mind that certain crops need to be rotated around the garden.  For example, tomatoes should be located in a location that was not used for tomato production last season.  Moving them around will decrease potential infestations of nematodes, bacterial and fungal problems.  Also, keeping additional detailed information about the crop will help you determine which vegetable did well in your situation.

Prepare your soil

Doing some preparation to the soil is a must.  Now would be a great time to add additional soil amendments to your garden.  Adding compost is a great addition that will help break up soil that has been dormant or lacks the proper texture and drainage.   Compost comes in many forms. Compost can be bought in the forms of cotton burr compost, composted manure or even in bulk form from the J.C. Elliot landfill. Whichever you choose, add at least 3-5 inches to the soil and till or work it into the soil.  By doing this, you will notice the soil structure change.  This will help your vegetable beds stay productive for seasons to come.

Vegetable Selection

Many varieties of vegetables can be purchased at local garden centers and nurseries every season.  Some good producing tomatoes are Celebrity, Tycoon and Better boy.  Of course there are others, it just depends on the type of tomato you want to grow.  There are large, medium and cherry varieties available.  To be successful, choose varieties that are listed for our area. A list of fall vegetable varieties that perform well in our area can be obtained from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service office.

Planting time

The best time to start planting is starting August 15th.  However, environmental factors can move that date around a little.  The last week in August and week in September will be a good time to start planting.  Keep in mind that these dates are general and can be altered.  In fact, there is a consideration that most vegetable gardeners can apply. We have always heard the saying "don't put all your eggs in one basket".  Well, there is common theory with vegetable gardening.  Every season I hear gardeners talk about having too many vegetables at one time.  Have you ever had so many tomatoes that you lose them to rot or simply are unable to give them away fast enough?  One thing that can be done is to stagger the planting dates of your vegetables.  For example, plant new plants in the garden on two week intervals.  Doing this will have several benefits.  First, the vegetable will be able to be harvested at different time frames and will prolong harvest throughout the season.  Secondly, vegetables prone to insect and fungal problems during a certain growth stage or environmental factor (wind, humidity, etc.) will not be as severely affected as others planted at different times.