Having to prepare your yard for tropical storms is one of the downsides to living in Florida. It’s a virtual yearly reality in the Sunshine State. If there isn’t a tropical storm or hurricane taking direct aim at your town or city, there’s usually at least some tropical weather that will skirt closely enough that it could cause damage or even destruction to your yard or home.

My family and I encountered this in August 2024. That’s when Hurricane Debby rolled by our place 75 miles offshore. Even nearly 100 miles away, the tropical system still whipped up high winds and heavy rains for two days. And we were among the lucky ones. Others south and north of us dealt with flooding so bad the water came 3 feet or more up the walls inside their homes. And the center of the storm never even came close to those places.

Thankfully, we didn’t incur much damage at our home or in the yard. This was due in part to sheer luck with how the squally rain bands came through our neck of the wood and because we prepped our yard for severe weather.

So, how do you prepare your yard for tropical storms, hurricanes, or other windy weather? Let me show you…

Here’s How You Prep Your Yard For Severe Weather

There’s a lot you’ll need to do before the rough weather comes in! Here’s what you’ll need to do to prepare your yard for tropical storms, hurricanes, and other bad weather:

• Secure or take inside all small potted plants, lightweight yard sculptures and art, or other unsecured items — Hanging pots, statues and bird baths, and other things that make your yard feel like an extension of your home? These could get severely damaged if tossed around in high winds. And guess what? If they become airborne during the storm they could become projectiles that fly through windows and glass doors.
• Don’t forget to put away lawn furniture, grills, and other loose items — I know, I know… A lot of these things seem like fixtures in your yard. But they won’t be fixed there very long if some strong winds decide to take them away. Lawn chairs, barbecue grills, or unanchored pergolas, resin garden sheds, trellises, and canopies can become damaged or airborne in bad weather.
• But DON’T put lawn furniture in the swimming pool — ATTENTION: Those of you who have swimming pools (which does not include me at this time)… Don’t throw your yard furniture into swimming pools! Not only is this a safety hazard, but it could also damage your pool’s basin and other pool equipment. Imagine having to foot a potentially costly bill to fix your pool after the storm. And that’s if your home survives the tropical weather.
• Remove construction or yard debris — Scraps of wood from that deck project last year, the branches or twigs you piled up in the corner, and those clay bricks stacked up by the shed? They all could become damaging — even deadly — airborne projectiles in a tropical storm or hurricane. Secure or dispose of these items before the rough weather hits. You may be able to haul away yard waste free at your municipal dump site.

And Don’t Forget To Prepare Your Trees For Tropical Storms & Hurricanes!

• Protect young trees — Make sure you secure any recently installed trees that haven’t established yet. One strong gust can snap the fledgling tree at its trunk or turn the tree over from its root ball in the ground. You can help prevent these things from happening by properly staking your young trees.
• And take care of your older trees, too — Correctly (and I emphasize correctly here) trim your trees prior to stormy, windy weather. I’m sure you’ve seen photos and videos of grand trees that were simply turned over. Their roots were popping up from the grass. the trunk laying on its side. The chances of your mature tree meeting such a fate can be minimized by properly thinning branches and removing weak or diseased branches.
• However… — There are a few right ways and many wrong ways to prune a tree. I’m not a certified arborist. But I suggest you hire one to prepare your tree for tropical storms and hurricanes. Yes, hiring a professional tree trimmer can be expensive, but it’s potentially much more costly if your tree fails in a storm because you didn’t prune it correctly.