A Hail of a Time...

The storm passes, Photo Tina Koclanes©

Monday June fourth, in the mid afternoon a developing storm cell passed over SCC from the North. It brought limited damaging winds, but it did bring hail!

When we think of hail we often think of our cars, our siding, and our roofs. Then we notice the ground littered with damaged leaves, and sometimes damaged plants. The good news is, unlike our shingles, trees and plants have survived thousands of years dealing with mother nature, so there is very little we need to do to help them along.

Hail on campus, photo Tina Koclanes©

Crying over spilled milk will do little, but there are a few things to keep in mind before and after a storm. First and foremost is safety. Proper pruning of trees and shrubs is important, as it can reduce the risks of falling branches, and inspecting trees for damage after a storm is also important. Having a certified arborist check out your trees is usually also a good idea.

For your plants, good husbandry is the best defense against storm damage. Healthy growing plants are often quicker to bounce back after a little storm damage. An application of a light organic fertilizer just after any damaging storm and a repeat application a week later often helps it bounce back a little as well.

One of the many trees on campus 

damaged from the recent storm.

There are so many variables and surprises when it comes to working with mother nature. Lucky for me I enjoy the daily challenges we are faced with in the "Green field." I have lots of exciting things to blog about in the coming weeks so stay rooted, and I'll see you outside!