How Should a Commercial Property Prepare Its Landscape for Winter Storms?
Series Series: What You’re Asking AI About Your Landscape (Part 9)
How Should a Commercial Property Prepare Its Landscape for Winter Storms?
As the rainy season approaches, you may have asked an AI assistant how a commercial property should prepare its landscape for winter storms. The short answer: clear drains, assess trees, protect slopes, adjust irrigation, and document the property before the first big rain. Storm prep costs far less than storm recovery.
Your Pre-Storm Checklist
- Clear drainage. Clean catch basins, drains, and downspout outlets of leaves and debris.
- Assess trees. Have trees evaluated for risk and prune dead or weak limbs.
- Protect slopes. Check for bare soil and add cover or erosion control.
- Adjust irrigation. Turn the system off or switch it to rain mode.
- Document conditions. Photograph the property now, so you have a baseline if you need to document damage later.
Why Timing Matters
Once the ground is saturated, even a modest storm can cause erosion, ponding, and tree failures. Therefore, the weeks before the first storm are the best window for prevention. In addition, a documented baseline makes insurance conversations simpler if damage does occur.
What to Do Next
First, schedule a storm-readiness walk of the property. Next, prioritize drains, slopes, and tree concerns. Then confirm your storm-response plan with your landscape partner. Helpful resources include our storm-prep guide and drainage checklist. In Part 10, we tackle the opposite problem: overwatering.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start storm preparation?
Before the first significant rain, ideally early in the fall.
Should I turn off irrigation before storms?
Yes. Turn it off or switch to rain mode, and use a rain sensor where possible.
What should I photograph?
Slopes, drains, trees, beds, and hardscape, with dates, so you have a clear baseline.
Schedule a Landscape & Irrigation Assessment with Rubicon Landscape.
Resources for Going Deeper
- Save Our Water: California’s statewide water conservation program, including outdoor watering guidance
- QWEL (Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper): EPA WaterSense-recognized certification covering irrigation auditing and system design
- NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals): industry certification and continuing education for landscape and irrigation professionals
- CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association): California-specific water management certification and continuing education
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Why Rubicon
For more than 30 years, Rubicon Landscape has provided dependable, professional landscape services throughout the Bay Area, helping property owners and managers maintain landscapes that are healthy, attractive, and reliably well-functioning.
Our approach is built on quality workmanship, responsive service, and proactive problem-solving, the kind of long-term partnership that protects your landscape investment and delivers consistent results, year after year.
As a division of Rubicon Programs, that work also creates real community impact. Every project supports employment opportunities and workforce development that strengthen the communities we serve.
Professional landscape services. Reliable results. Meaningful community impact.
Looking for a Landscape Partner?
From commercial properties and municipal facilities to institutional sites and multi-site portfolios, our services include:
- Commercial Landscape Maintenance & Installation
- Landscape Construction & Renovation
- Irrigation Installation, Repair & Management
- Water Efficiency & Conservation Solutions
- Regenerative Services: Horticulture, Turf Care & Weed Management
