During hurricane season, it is normal to think about the large trees in your yard or hanging over your house. Here are some pointers to prepare a healthy, mature tree for the hurricane season.

• Clean trees by cutting primarily dead, dying or diseased branches.

• Maintain trees natural growth form and normal height to spread relationship.

• Maintain interior foliage to deflect & dampen wind energy.

• Allow branches and foliage to grow near ground for best wind tolerance.

• Promote strong branch attachments by shortening competing branches to foster a dominant lead branch. This ensures development of securing branch collar and wide angled branch attachments.

• Have mature trees evaluated every year by a professional urban forester or a certified arborist.

• Cut tops or side cutting crowns of trees, as this will cause unbalancing, decay and limb breakage.

• Cut primary limbs along property lines or house lines. This causes the tree to be more vulnerable to wind damage.

• Cut lower limbs or openings in crown as these results in turbulence and rotational wind, which can shear branches.

• Make flush cuts or angular cuts that don't conform to protecting branch collar.

• Cut large roots for curbs and utilities and driveways, as this may cause windfall.

• Remove more than 25% of crown from mature tree in one growing season.