A good day to plant big trees? As Dorian approaches, crews plant palms near new garage

Crews on Thursday planted new, large palm trees near the new City Centre parking garage, just days before Hurricane Dorian is expected to hit Florida. Officials said believe they will survive the coming weather.

Seven palm trees, almost as tall as the four-story garage, were planted Thursday along Third Avenue West.

The trees were already in the process of being delivered to Bradenton from South Florida, said Emmalee Legler, director of marketing and operations at Jon F. Swift Construction, the general contractor for the garage project. A delay in putting the trees, which already were in shock due to the transport, into the ground, could kill them.

“We wanted to ensure as much longevity as possible and that was to plant them,” Legler said.

She added the trees are being double-staked to keep them vertical and tied to keep from falling.

Mayor Wayne Poston said the installation was planned for Thursday, and that he was not concerned that Dorian possibly would uproot them and turn them into missiles flying through downtown.

“Palm trees are more wind-resistant,” Poston said, when comparing them to other trees, such as oak trees.

The wooden stakes around the trees should help, too, said Sandy Johnson of Burnett’s Wholesale Nursery, 4808 18th St E. Bradenton.

The palm tree’s root system go straight and deeper into the ground, unlike other trees that are more shallow and fan out, Johnson said.

Palm trees also have a trunk that is more lean than other tree types so the wind blows more around them, according to Johnson.

“They don’t have a canopy going out like a kite,” Johnson said.

The streetscape project is already behind schedule due to issues with one of the concrete mixes used for the sidewalk. Poston said they are trying to it all done.

The city needs the streetscaping and sidewalk around the parking garage to be complete before it can be opened to the public.

Jon F. Swift crews are working to secure the trees as well as other equipment before Hurricane Dorian arrives.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 4:25 PM.