5 Tree Trimming Tips to Prep for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season in Florida runs June through November, and Tampa Bay is squarely in the crosshairs every year. One of the best things you can do before the first storm of the season is get your trees in order. Here's what our arborists recommend.

1. Remove Dead, Dying, or Structurally Weak Branches

Dead branches are the first things to fly in high winds. A dead limb in a 60 mph gust becomes a projectile — and it doesn't take a category 3 to snap one off. Spring is the ideal time to do a full deadwood removal pass on your trees, before the heat and storms arrive.

2. Thin the Crown to Reduce Wind Sail

A dense crown acts like a sail in high winds, putting enormous stress on roots and the trunk. Crown thinning removes select interior branches to allow wind to pass through rather than push against the tree. This significantly reduces the risk of uprooting or snap failure in storm conditions.

3. Raise the Crown Over Structures and Vehicles

Low-hanging limbs over your roof, car, or fence are always a risk — and that risk multiplies in storms. Crown raising removes lower limbs to create clearance, reducing the chance that a falling branch lands on something it shouldn't.

4. Address Any Leaning Trees or One-Sided Growth

A tree that leans toward your house or has significantly more mass on one side than the other is inherently unbalanced. In normal conditions this might not matter much, but add sustained winds and the physics change dramatically. Have a certified arborist assess any trees that concern you.

5. Remove Problem Trees Before Storm Season

If you have a tree that's dead, severely damaged, hollowed, or in a position where it simply cannot be allowed to fall — remove it before the season, not after. Emergency tree removal after a storm costs more, takes longer due to high demand, and often involves more damage than a planned removal would have.