Florida’s hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. The best time to get your trees ready isn’t the week a storm shows up on the forecast. By then, every tree crew is booked solid. The best time is the calm stretch before the season starts.
Healthy, well-pruned trees handle wind far better than neglected ones. Here’s what to look for around your home in Spring Hill, Shady Hills, Hudson, Aripeka, New Port Richey, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, and Wesley Chapel, and what a certified arborist can do about it.
Why some trees fail and others don’t
University of Florida (UF/IFAS) researchers have studied how trees held up in hurricane after hurricane since Andrew in 1992. A few patterns keep showing up.
Trees that hold up best:
- Have a low center of gravity
- Have a strong, sturdy trunk
- Have a deep, even root system
The native live oak, so common in our neighborhoods, is a classic “survivor” when it’s grown in the right spot and pruned well over its life.
Trees that fail more often have:
- A high center of gravity or a very dense canopy
- Two or more trunks of similar size (codominant stems), especially with a tight V-shaped union
- A decayed trunk or large limbs
- Shallow or damaged roots, from shallow soil, a high water table, or roots cut during construction
Tall, slender pines are a local concern. Around many of our subdivisions, pines that once grew in a forest stand were left alone when the land was cleared. Those trees relied on each other for support. On their own, they’re more likely to fail in high wind.
Age matters too. Trees planted in the last five years haven’t built a strong root system yet. Very old, large trees often carry decayed or weak limbs.
Warning signs to check around your yard
Walk your property and look up into the canopy. Call an arborist if you see any of these:
- Dead or dying limbs. Look for bare branches, missing bark, early leaf drop, or drooping twigs. In our heat and humidity, dead wood decays fast and can fall even without a storm.
- Large limbs over the house, driveway, or play areas. These are the ones that cause the most damage.
- V-shaped unions where two similar-sized stems meet. A U-shaped attachment is stronger.
- Cracks or splits in the trunk or major limbs
- Mushrooms, conks, or other fungi on the trunk, the base, or the roots. These usually mean there’s decay inside.
- Cavities or hollow spots, often left by old injuries or bad pruning cuts
- A new or worsening lean, especially with cracked or heaved soil at the base. Treat that as urgent.
- A canopy that’s thinning over time. That can point to root trouble.
- Recent root damage from trenching, a new driveway, an addition, or a pool
Prune correctly, and skip “hurricane pruning”
Correct pruning is the most important thing you can do to help a tree survive a hurricane, according to UF/IFAS. But “correct” is the key word.
What good storm-prep pruning looks like:
- Remove dead, cracked, and broken branches
- Shorten overly long limbs and limbs that compete with the main trunk, so the tree keeps one dominant leader
- Thin the outer canopy lightly, not the interior, so wind can pass through
- Cut back low limbs that hang over or rub the roof
- Make clean cuts just outside the branch collar. Never flush-cut, and don’t paint or seal the wound.
- Train young trees early. Shaping them now builds a strong structure for later.
What to avoid:
- Topping. Cutting big limbs back to stubs weakens the tree and leads to weakly attached regrowth.
- “Lion’s tailing.” This strips out all the inner branches and leaves foliage only at the tips.
- Over-pruning palms (sometimes called “pineapple” or “hurricane cut” palms). Removing healthy green fronds weakens the palm. Take off only dead or fully brown fronds and old seed stalks.
UF/IFAS says there’s no such thing as “hurricane pruning.” Cuts sold under that name often increase the chance of storm damage. The best defense is good pruning done over years, not one heavy cut right before a storm.
For trees taller than about 15 feet, UF/IFAS recommends hiring an ISA Certified Arborist to prune before hurricane season. They also recommend having large trees evaluated by a professional about every two years.
Get large trees assessed before the season
Some defects can’t be seen from the ground. An ISA Certified Arborist can climb or use equipment to check for hidden decay, cracks, and weak unions. They can then recommend the least invasive fix, such as pruning, or removal only when nothing else will make the tree reasonably safe.
If a tree near your home turns out to be hazardous, Florida law may let you remove it without a local permit when you have documentation from an ISA Certified Arborist. See our guide: Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Hernando or Pasco County?
Planting for the next storm
If you’re replacing a tree or adding new ones:
- Choose wind-resistant species. UF/IFAS rates species for wind resistance. Choose from the “highest” and “medium-high” groups that suit your soil and sun, and check with your county Extension office for the current lists.
- Give trees room to root. Plant away from the house, power lines, sidewalks, and driveways.
- Plant in groups. Clusters of trees stand up to wind better than single trees.
- Buy healthy nursery stock. Look for straight (not circling) roots, one dominant trunk, and well-spaced branches.
- Plant at the right depth. The root flare should sit at or slightly above the soil line.
Practical steps once the season is underway
- Book tree work early. Waiting until a storm is forecast usually means waiting in line.
- Stay away from power lines. Never prune near them yourself. Contact your electric utility about limbs touching service lines.
- Clear up loose debris. Don’t leave piles of cut branches lying around when a storm is approaching. Anything loose can be thrown by the wind.
- Know your yard waste rules. In unincorporated Hernando County, curbside yard waste pickup won’t take whole trees or trunks. Bundled branches must be under 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet long. Debris from paid tree work isn’t collected at the curb; the contractor handles it. Pasco and city residents should check their own hauler’s rules.
Let a certified arborist take a look
Joe Cassilly, owner of Treemasters Tree Service, is an I.S.A. Certified Arborist (FL-5564-A). We’ll walk your property and point out real risks, not imagined ones. Then we’ll prune to industry standards so your trees go into the season stronger.
Call Treemasters Tree Service at (813) 404-0944 to schedule a pre-season tree check in Spring Hill and the surrounding towns.
Treemasters Tree Service Inc · 12933 Lussier Ln, Spring Hill, FL 34610 · (813) 404-0944 · TreemastersTampa@gmail.com · Mon–Sat 7:00 AM–6:00 PM, Sunday closed