Reducing storm damage impact
Imagine the state of the landscape if Igor had remained a category four hurricane; fortunately the landscape was not as bad as it could have been with only the occasional fallen tree or palm and broken and damaged foliage. Several factors become involved when damage is imposed by strong winds: heavy foliage cover, an imbalance in the canopy of large trees, close proximity planting, poor root system and poor planting.
Foliage will take a week or so to dry out and drop and new growth should start to appear in the leaf axils, this is a good time to prune for future growth and shape.
Damaged branches should be removed by cutting back to 'clean' wood below the tear with an outward facing cut to encourage growth in an 'outward' direction. Fallen trees and shrubs are usually caused by a poor root system and or a 'solid' mass of growth – foliage – acting as a 'sail' against the wind.
I am a great believer of pruning two or three times per year at most, firstly in March/April to remove damaged wood from winter storms and develop a good branch system for the oncoming season's new growth.
If it is a wet summer with heavy foliage cover it is advantageous to thin out the dense foliage – in August – to allow winds to filter though the branches and reduce storm damage impact as September appears to be the 'popular' time for hurricanes.
A third pruning can be given in October/November to tidy up branches and thin out foliage before winter storms start. Low growing summer flowering plants such as lantana and Pentas can be pruned back quite hard as there is still enough heat in the day for these to regenerate quickly and hopefully warm weather will last until November/December.
Hedges also require pruning with the species of hedge dictating the pruning required; e.g. deciduous hedges – e.g. hibiscus and Acalypha – will usually regenerate quickly if weather conditions are conducive to growth. Oleanders, privet and pittosporum should be thinned out to allow filtering of winds.
Large trees do not always – for various reasons – have a uniform cover or canopy of growth, with one or two limbs oft being the leaders with long trunks and heavy terminal growth which during heavy storms become more vulnerable to 'give' with on numerous occasions' collateral damage.
It is advisable to obtain the services of a professional arborist to inspect and give recommendations in such cases. The loss of a major tree is not only a loss aesthetically but can also be a costly exercise, especially if the tree cannot be saved and needs removing. An arborist will also check for pest and disease problems which can also exacerbate the demise of a mature tree.
Installing plants too close also creates a windage problem; understanding the growth habit of plants will assist in design layout and coupled with pruning should reduce major problems. Allowing plants to grow 'out' will also encourage good growth, especially if the plant has a large enough planting hole and creates a good root system.
Roots anchor plants during strong winds, act as a conduit for transference of water and nutrients and generally stabilises the plant in its location. A good root system is therefore a major element in developing a healthy plant in the movement of water and nutrients which encourages growth which in turn assists in the development of an active root system, the end product being a robust growing plant which, when all other processes are carried out, should be better able to withstand nature's elements.
Another example of a root problem is planting to close to walls or foundations thus creating a restricted root zone, as roots will be deflected when they hit a solid surface and usually grow parallel with same creating a one sided or duck footed root system. When this happens the root zone support is limited as to its spread and anchoring ability with the result the plant will be blown over on the root zone side.
Good growth comes with planting a healthy well developed plant – branch and root system – proper planting and aftercare that includes the above points and pest and disease control to encourage healthy growth. Regular fertiliser applications are also a must as many soils are not nutrient rich, with many being comprised of soil moved from 'other sites' when landscaping was done; top soil – the top 12 inches – is almost impossible to purchase and most soils are from excavations of land often six eight or ten feet down, which are certainly not the most productive.
Regular applications of fertiliser will assist in continued growth and should consist of a basic elements known as N:P:K but also include minor or trace elements such as zinc; magnesium, manganese, etc. which are required in very small amounts but can be important in soils deficient in same.
Coated granules will break down slowly over time thus distributing the fertiliser as a slow release and not as quick release then little thereafter. Liquid fertiliser can be given as a supplemental during periods of hot dry weather, as granular fertilisers can burn if temperatures are constantly high and soil is dry and plants are under stress conditions.
Composting is a tangible exercise in recycling and saving money: why pay to have your horticultural 'waste' trucked away and then pay again to buy peat or soil, etc. to incorporate in your garden beds?
It is quite common to see composted material used as a mulch, the problem is in my opinion what is being used does not have the capacity to decay and break down to humus.
Much of the material that has been chipped through a shredder is too big to break down in the short term and therefore simply because of the decomposition process is highly unlikely to breakdown when lying on the surface of the soil.
Composting is an exercise that requires turning of horticultural waste regularly to generate such activity to induce the breakdown of the material into humus. Mixing compost with 'soil' either for planting purposes or into the surface of the soil will enhance soils and therefore growth.
Mulching which appears to be a popular exercise at the present time does not in my opinion achieve the aims it is meant to do; most of the mulch used is 'impure' comprising horticultural waste – of various sizes – bits of plastic, gravel, miscellaneous elements which of course will not decompose.
Also found in the material is bits of vegetation that will propagate into young plants, the best example of this being the cow cane Arundo donax which when established is almost impossible to eradicate.
Using horticultural waste alone will create 'pure' compost a much needed additive in local soils.
