Low temperatures in the TEENS this past week... YOWZA! But, I suppose that was nothing compared to what parts of New York experienced a week ago. If it’s cold enough for us to trek to the store to stock up on milk and bread, then it’s cold enough to tend to your home and landscape. Take control of what you can to mitigate potentially costly disasters.

Recently on Green and Growing, I visited with Georgia Power arborist Chad Jenkins, who encouraged homeowners to be vigilant. He says “when you’re out in the yard, just look up. If you see a tree that’s leaning more than it was or some limbs that are breaking off, pay attention.” Ice and wind are two of the major threats to our trees this time of year. He says pines especially hold ice really well, making them more susceptible to toppling over.

Nature is incredible in what plants just know to do. Trees drop their leaves in the fall for a number of reasons, but an important one is so that they can better sustain wind shear. Here’s an interesting study that shows what wind speed will break all trees, even those larger in diameter.

Lastly, Chad reminds Georgia Power customers to download their app to both view and report outages. Here, they do their best to provide estimated times of clearance for outages. When it comes to installing new trees, Jenkins is encouraging, but asks that homeowners plant at least 15 feet way from utility poles, and consider a tree’s mature height. Ones anticipated to be 15 feet or taller should not be planted below power lines.

And what about taking care inside your home? Chris Boyd with Ragsdale Heating, Air, Plumbing and Electrical said the calls they most often receive from homeowners this time of year are (no surprise) about no heat and frozen pipes. Before freezing weather, Chris says, “disconnect the hose from spigots, and buy outdoor faucet covers. They’re super easy to use, and they do a great job of blocking that wind from reaching the faucet.” And with indoor faucets, he says don’t forget to keep that water moving, by turning faucets on with just a slight drip.

And proper insulation is great for staying warm and for saving money! Ragsdale is happy to assist customers with any of these comforts. Give them a call at 770-443-1821.

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