Armstrong Garden Centers reminds Californians that fire season is here.

Preparedness is the key to safety. With proper measures, we can protect yards, homes and loved ones.

“We want to help ensure the safety of homeowners and their homes, especially those living in high-risk areas,” said Armstrong Garden Centers California certified nursery professional Robert Kitano, horticulturalist and buyer of trees and shrubs. “No plant is fireproof, but simple fire-scaping can be the solution. From choosing plants with fire-retardant abilities to knowing proper defensible landscape maintenance to keeping irrigation systems in excellent shape.”

Armstrong Garden Centers provides these fire-scaping tips to help homeowners safeguard their homes by creating and maintaining a fire-resistant landscape:

1. Know your plants and research their fireretardant abilities.

2. Replace flammable trees and shrubs with fire-resistant varieties.

3. Immediately remove any dead, diseased or dying trees or shrubs.

4. Create a wide “firebreak” around your home by removing brush and dried grass from the perimeter of your property.

5. Dense brush means more fire fuel. Keep shrubs and trees thinned out, and keep skirts removed from palms.

6. Keep irrigation systems in working order and check regularly for adequate coverage in case of an emergency.

7. Eliminate large, overhanging branches from driveways that could restrict fire vehicles.

8. Keep landscape in good condition, including responsibly watering plants or removing dried grass and replacing with a fire-resistant ground cover.

9. Feed plants and shrubs with organic fertilizers. This reduces quick, soft growth that often results from high-nitrogen chemical fertilizers.

10. Keep roofs and gutters free of dead leaves and other debris.

For more information about fire-scaping and how to protect your yard or home, click on armstronggarden.com or stop by any of the 31 Armstrong Garden Centers in California.