Gardeners love watching their plants flourish, but seasonal storms can ruin your hard work. Some are unpredictable and others take their time rolling in off the coast. Use these tips to learn how to prepare your garden for a storm so your plants survive any weather system.
1. Bring Hanging Containers Inside
Many gardens feature hanging plants. They’re perfect for anyone who runs out of ground space and wants to continue growing flowers.
Even if your planters hang off your home’s siding or something else that can withstand strong winds, you should always bring hanging containers inside. They could flip in the wind and crash to the ground, especially if you’re dealing with a tropical storm or hurricane.
2. Create Wind Barriers
Fragile petals and frail plants won’t make it through a storm. If you know a major weather system is heading your way, build a wind barrier around your garden with aluminum sheeting or sandbags. You can always keep the barriers so they provide partial shade for plants that need it.
3. Reinforce Garden Fixtures
Even if your plants remain rooted to the ground, they may not recover if your fence falls over onto them. Reinforcing your garden fixtures is essential to accomplish before a major storm that could knock down your fencing or decorative features.
4. Stop Watering Early
Some seasons will have more storms than others.
Summer heat creates thunderstorms in the late afternoon, so you might learn to expect rain during the hottest weeks. They’ll sweep in after the July weather dries out the soil, so adjust your watering schedule accordingly. Your plants may get too much water and die of water-related rot.
5. Stake Containers Over Sprouts
Even a standard rainshower could rip away sprouts as the water washes through your garden. Stake plastic containers over your newly sprouting plants to protect them from an onslaught of water from above and across the ground.
They’re also reusable, so you can cover your plants through the summer and even protect them from frost. Plastic containers or even buckets could be a significant investment in your gardening future.
6. Wrap Larger Plants
Large plants may have robust root systems and the ability to withstand winds. Storms can still rip leaves and branches off of them anyway. Before your next big storm, wrap large vegetation like bushes and vegetable plants with burlap. It should hang loosely enough to avoid bending the branches but not loosely enough to fall off.
Secure the burlap with twine. It’s helpful to do this before tropical storms and hurricanes, but it may also benefit your garden before common thunderstorms. You’ll shelter tender vegetables and plant life before finding safety for yourself, too.
7. Add a Mulch Layer
Mulch adds another texture to your garden as well as a defensive system. It’ll look nicer than exposed dirt while keeping it from washing away. Although mulch won’t do much against a hurricane, it can be helpful in areas that only have to worry about thunderstorms.
You can also keep it throughout the year. Mulch forms a blanket over root systems, insulating against freezing temperatures that would otherwise kill your plants. They won’t start to sprout after a warm spell in February and die when temperatures fall again before spring arrives to stay.
8. Turn Off Your Watering System
Remember to turn off your watering system if you know a storm will reach your home soon. If it turns on while it’s raining, you’ll pay for wasted water and further soak plants that may die from overwatering.
Prepare Your Garden for a Storm
Now that you know how to prepare your garden for a storm, write these tips where you’ll remember them in the future. If you take preventive measures to shelter your plants and give them the best seasonal care, you’ll keep anything alive even through the most brutal storms.