A lot of rain to fill the tanks throughout August, but also of course rain is an agent of growth for plant life.

Heavy growth is obvious and with growth comes weight, in conjunction they create a sail or umbrella effect against wind and obviously hurricane damage is severe in such scenarios.

To relieve the pressure of growth and reduce damage to branch systems an exercise of thinning out heavily foliaged branches is recommended; this will reduce the extent of damage especially in large canopy trees.

The very act of thinning out will relieve the upward thrust of wind and allow a filtering of the wind through the open canopy.

If one considers the combination of heavy rains and storm force winds on a fully foliaged tree the forces are extreme; a gallon of water weighs ten pounds.

The amount of surface water therefore found on a large tree with such a weight bearing load pushing the branches in a downward movement and the thrust of an upward or sideward gust of wind are opposing forces, therefore something has to give and that is the branch system.

On large trees it is vitally important that a tree surgeon carries out the work; not only is the knowledge of the structure of the tree important, but also the knowledge of observation as to potential problems be they structural or pest and disease related.

Another important point is to request information as to the company's insurance coverage, just in case the tree falls the wrong way!

Hedges and shrubs should also be inspected especially if in exposed areas, pruning when carried out correctly encourages new growth which will enhance the potential of the plant in the long term.

Hurricanes late in the season appear to do more damage than early hurricanes, this is often perception as early hurricanes have more time to generate new growth with there being a more ambient temperature for new growth, and whereas there is usually a significant slowing down of growth once the clocks go back.

Shorter days and ongoing cooler temperatures slow the growing process.

Heavy rains also leach nutrients from the soil, especially on sandy soils, and a regular scheduling of fertiliser applications should be encouraged.

This can be by either granular or liquid or a combination of both.

I am loth to use chemicals of any form when the temperature is at a constant eight five degrees, but of course if one must spray with a pesticide or fungicide ensure conditions are such that the plant is not under or will not be under stress.

Several lawn and garden fertilisers comprise an outer coating over the active ingredient which allows the fertiliser to be released over a period of time, being induced by moisture or temperature.

The use of chemicals in any situation can be hazardous to ones health, this is more so when instructions are ignored, it is therefore important to read instructions prior to use.

More especially reducing the exposure level can be obtained by wearing the correct type of equipment such as gloves, goggles etc.

Lawns are often taken for granted in that as long as they are green its fine; give your lawn some respect and TLC and it will stay in good condition.

I often see cars and even trucks toing and froing across lawns for no real reason, is it any wonder the lawn re-acts.

Roots are compacted as is the soil, lawn weeds appear, the 'colour' of the lawn changes usually to a lighter green and 'tracks' appear in the lawn.

If you have to take a vehicle across the lawn, at least change the track lines each trip.

If the vehicle is of a heavy nature it is advisable to follow the 'exercise' with a good aerating especially on the track lines.

Continued heavy traffic on or around 'root systems' can and will damage the root systems especially on mature trees, so what might be thought of as innocuous could develop into a more serious problem.

Whilst not related to weather, but as a cautionary note when building or adding on to the property

Plants need soil depth if they are be installed at the correct depth and thereafter to grow, therefore, keep an eye on how deep underground services are installed, as many a time they are too close to the surface thus causing problems when trying to install plantings and more so when working to a design.

In reality it can cause major headaches for the landscaper and it can throw a design into chaos.

Roots will go in the easiest direction — mostly down — but on other occasions laterally, and if pipes are in the way, they will grow between the pipes, which in time creates problems as the roots 'enlarge their girth' with the result stress can be put on the pipe with ramifications!

The same problem can occur when plants are too close to a patio or deck and the depth of soil is insufficient to keep roots deep, as roots start to grow along the surface, they will lift the paving stone, brick etc. which is unsafe, unsightly and unnecessary if not done correctly.

As I write this, St. Lucia and Jamaica have been hit by Hurricane Dean, there are plenty more letters in the alphabet so be ready and take a look at your property now, be proactive not reactive …   'tis an ill wind!