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Prepping the outdoors
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More from Other NewsIn the garden, the most important thing to remember is to prepare long before torrential rains happen. Meanwhile, here are some things you can do this week:
Take caution with trees: If you have an oak or eucalyptus tree on your property, there is a chance it could fall. It's difficult to tell if a tree's roots are deteriorating until it's too late, so your best bet is to keep the tree trimmed regularly. A healthy tree is less likely to fall over in saturated dirt.
- Make sure your trees are trimmed evenly on all sides so that one side isn't lopsided and therefore more likely to hold water and fall.
- Palm trees are fairly resilient. The ones most likely to fall are those closest to a ditch or river of running water.
- After the rains have ended, check landscaping for trees that might have excessive moisture buildup in one area. This can be branches that look larger than others or tilt excessively in one direction -- and thus are more prone to snapping and falling on something in the next storm.
Fewer pests: The rains will actually help drive out pests such as gophers and ground squirrels.
Saturated roots: Don't worry about the rains causing root rot. Plants love water, so a healthy plant will withstand the storms.
Coverings: If you really want to do some serious horticultural management, you can place little metal cages, covers or umbrellas over your more delicate plants.
-- Sources: Mason Redding, engineering geologist with Pacific Materials Lab in Camarillo: Ventura County Natural Resources Conservation Service; Ventura County Fire Protection District; Timothy Phillips, superintendent of Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
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