Florida’s tropical climate is prone to hurricanes, and after a storm, your landscape can suffer significant damage—especially Hurricane Helen and two weeks later, Hurricane Milton. Knowing how to care for your plants after a hurricane is crucial for helping them recover. From dealing with saltwater damage to reestablishing healthy soil, here are some key landscaping tips to help restore your Florida garden to its former glory.
- Assess the Damage Carefully
After the storm, it’s important to assess the extent of the damage to your garden. Keep an eye out for:
- Wind Burn Damage: Wind burn on plants is very similar to what we experience as humans. On dry, windy days, you may feel your lips chap and skin dry as the moisture is pulled away by the rapidly moving air. Plants suffer the same fate as the wind desiccates their leaves. After Hurricane Milton’s prolonged winds, which interacted with a low humidity cold front, you might have noticed that browning of leaves. Starting at the edges and progressing inward toward the veins. This damage resulted from the wind’s desiccation of the plant’s moisture, leaving it looking scorched.
- Sea Spray Damage: Accompanying the wind burn is another less obvious threat to our inland areas—sea spray. The morning after the storm, I found salt crystals can cover my truck’s windows, like light frost. This salty air, carried miles inland by the hurricane, coated the landscape. Usually, hurricanes bring enough rain to wash away the salt off the plants, but Milton was an exception. Without rain to dilute and rinse away the salt, the landscape has been bathed in a chemical that plants can’t tolerate.
- Storm Surge: When Seawater Soaks the Roots: For those on the coast, storm surge brought another level of destruction. Hurricanes Helene and Milton both caused significant storm surges in coastal areas. Unfortunately, most plants impacted by saltwater flooding will not survive. Even native coastal plants like dune sunflower, which can handle sea spray, cannot tolerate being submerged in saltwater. If any of your plants affected by storm surge show signs of life, you can try to irrigate them with fresh water to flush out the salt from the soil and give them the fresh water they desperately need.
Assessing the situation will help you prioritize the most pressing needs, such as clearing debris and ensuring plants that can be saved get proper care.
- Clear Debris Quickly
The aftermath of a hurricane often leaves fallen branches, leaves, and other debris scattered around. Removing debris as soon as possible is essential to prevent further damage to the plants underneath and to allow for air circulation, which helps prevent disease.
- Trim Damaged Plants
Pruning is crucial for recovery after a hurricane. Begin by trimming off broken, damaged, or diseased branches:
- Trees: Remove cracked or hanging branches immediately. If large branches are affected, it’s best to consult a professional arborist to avoid further injury to the tree.
- Shrubs: Prune back any broken limbs to the nearest healthy bud or branch to stimulate new growth.
- Herbaceous plants: Remove any damaged foliage to prevent decay and promote faster recovery.
Proper pruning encourages healthy regrowth and reduces the risk of pests or diseases entering through open wounds.
- Replant Uprooted Trees and Shrubs
If trees or shrubs have been uprooted but are still alive, they can often be saved:
- Replant promptly: If the roots are still intact, you can try repositioning the tree or shrub back into the soil. Be sure to stabilize it by staking the plant, especially in sandy Florida soil.
- Water thoroughly: Deeply water the plant after replanting to help it reestablish in the soil. In Florida, where the soil can drain quickly, it’s important to monitor moisture levels closely in the weeks following a hurricane.
- Leach the Soil if Exposed to Saltwater
In coastal areas of Florida, saltwater intrusion is a common problem during hurricanes, especially after storm surges. If your plants have been exposed to salt, it’s vital to flush out the salt from the soil:
- Water deeply: Use fresh water to rinse the salt from plant foliage and the soil. Deep watering will help move the salt below the root zone.
- Use organic matter: Adding compost or other organic matter to the soil can improve its structure, helping it retain moisture while also aiding in salt removal.
Some salt-tolerant plants may fare better in these situations, but many plants are sensitive and need immediate care to recover.
- Aerate and Amend Flooded Soil
Flooding can lead to compacted soil, which deprives plant roots of oxygen. After the water recedes:
- Aerate the soil: Use a garden fork or aerator to loosen compacted soil, allowing air and water to reach plant roots again.
- Amend the soil: Add organic compost to improve soil structure and boost the nutrients lost during the flood. Florida’s sandy soils are prone to losing nutrients quickly, so replenishing them is key to healthy regrowth.
- Watch for Pests and Diseases
After hurricanes, plants are more susceptible to pests and diseases, particularly in Florida’s humid climate. Regularly check your plants for signs of:
- Mold or mildew: Excess moisture can lead to fungal growth.
- Insects: Aphids, beetles, and other pests may target stressed plants. Consider using natural pest control methods to protect your landscape.
- Mulch for Protection
Adding mulch around your plants can help retain soil moisture and reduce erosion, especially if your landscape has been affected by heavy rainfall or saltwater.
Organic mulch can help regulate soil temperature and protect roots from further stress. Just be careful not to pile it too high around the base of plants, which could trap excess moisture and encourage rot.
- Fertilize Gently
While it may be tempting to feed your plants after a hurricane, avoid heavy fertilization immediately. Plants are already stressed, and too much fertilizer can cause more harm than good. Instead, lightly feed them with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer a few weeks after the storm when they begin to show signs of recovery.
- Plan for the Future
Hurricanes are an ongoing risk in Florida, so it’s important to think about long-term strategies for protecting your landscape:
- Choose wind-resistant plants: Consider planting more hurricane-resistant species, such as native Florida plants or those adapted to wind and saltwater exposure.
- Plant strategically: Planting trees and shrubs in groupings or near structures can provide natural windbreaks, reducing the likelihood of damage during future storms.
- Keep up with regular maintenance: Regularly prune and care for your plants to keep them healthy and more resilient in the face of extreme weather.
Conclusion
Restoring your garden after a hurricane in Florida can be a challenge, but with the right approach, your landscape will recover. By assessing the damage, clearing debris, and caring for the soil and plants thoughtfully, you can help your garden come back even stronger. Moreover, by planning and selecting resilient plants, you can better prepare for the next storm and ensure your landscape thrives in Florida’s unpredictable climate.
If you need help with landscaping, please don’t hesitate to call Tending to HIS Garden at (941)809-4333 or email us at [email protected]. We also offer informative articles on our website, https://tendingtohisgarden.com/blog-2/. Thank you!