If you’ve ever driven through a neighborhood after storm season and seen trees sheared flat across the top, you’ve seen “topping.” It looks like a quick fix—but it’s the opposite of what healthy, storm-ready trees need. In Florida’s heat, wind, and summer storms, the way you prune can either build strength or quietly set your tree up for failure.

If you’ve ever heard that awful crack during a storm and felt your stomach drop, you’re not alone. One minute you’re refreshing the radar; the next, there’s a limb through the gutter or an entire oak leaning across the roof. The first 24 hours after impact are the most important—not only for safety, but also for insurance and preventing small problems from turning into larger repairs.

You don’t need to be an arborist to know when a tree feels… off. Maybe the canopy looks thin compared to last year. Maybe mushrooms are creeping around the base after a week of rain. Or maybe a limb over the driveway has you doing the “please don’t fall” glance every time you park.

If you live in Seffner (or anywhere in Hillsborough County), you know the drill: one quiet afternoon, the sky darkens, the wind shifts, and suddenly you’re refreshing the radar and dragging patio furniture into the garage. When storms spin up, your trees are either a shield—or the first thing that fails.