When we know a storm is on the way that will include a heavy downpour, simply building up the soil around each plant is usually enough to keep it from falling over or getting washed away. Click to learn more about prepping and protecting your trees from wind and summer storms. You can protect taller, more established plants by tying them to stakes or other supports. When the temperatures drop near frost point, take your gardenia inside and reduce watering until spring. Sign Up for Free Tree & Landscaping Tips! These stressful elements affect trees from root to tip, which can hurt their health or damage to your property. How to Reduce Wind and Storm Damage on Trees. For larger plants, vines, and shrubs, wrap the plant in burlap and tie with heavy twine, using garden stakes to make a frame where necessary. The entire garden can be swept away when the rain is heavy. Preparation is the key to preventing thunderstorm plant damage. The only way of protecting against wind is to put up a garden windbreak, whether that’s a living shelterbelt of wind-resistant shrubs and trees, or an artificial barrier of special windbreak material. During a heavy downpour a rain barrel can fill rapidly. Summer storms are no match for strong, healthy trees. Set your pots inside of larger heavy pots (concrete or ceramic are heavier than clay) - the larger the better for weight and cantilever effect against your tall trunks. Strong winds can do amazing damage in very little time and a five gallon bucket flying through the air can be a real menace. If you have no fence you still have options. Wrapping certain plants in a strong fabric, such as burlap, will protect them from the elements. It is a simple process and instructions can easily be found. While you may prefer one scene over the other, there’s no question our trees would rather soak up the sun than get drenched in the downpour. How to protect your garden. Just be sure to weigh this container down with brick or a boulder to ensure that it … Spring and summer storms are not always severe and precautions need not be taken if you see little risk for garden damage. Place a brick or heavy object on the top of the bucket to prevent it from blowing away. Storms bring much desired rain to the garden, but they can also do damage if we don’t take measures to protect our plants. Low growing plants can be covered with a tarp as long as the tarp is securely staked in the ground and is not directly resting on the plants. Yes, you must protect gardenias from frost. Creating a windbreak will help and is easy if you already have a fence. Providing wind protection will slow the speed at which wind will pass a plant, reducing the amount of water lost from the leaves. To prevent overflow it is wise to have a diverter so excess water flows into another barrel or at least away from the foundation of your house. As water is evaporated from the plant it can cool the container enough that moisture collects on its bottom. How to Protect Plants From Winter Winds. Pruning your tree on a regular basis can also protect it from wind damage.When branches grow to the point where they bend under their own weight, it’s usually a sign it needs pruning, in which case you should cut it back to an appropriate size.If the tree has dead, dying or damage branches, you should prune them away as well. Small plants that tend to flatten in wind and rain, like peonies, can be covered with a 5-gallon bucket or other sturdy container. Windbreaks can be erected using netting, proprietary windbreak materials, or woven hurdles. Subscribe to the "The Sapling" on the Davey Blog for the latest tips to keep your outdoor space in tip-top shape throughout the year. Prompt pruning helps prevent diseases that enter through ragged breaks and gives the plant a chance to regrow. When the temperatures drop near frost point, take your gardenia inside and reduce watering until spring. Larger plants might require an inverted garbage can. Winds change the shape of plants (most get shorter, some lean and many just looks scraggly and sparse all the time). These … When the strong winter winds and heavy rain bear down on your garden, there are a few steps that you can take protect your plants from the elements. Trees should be staked somewhat loosely so they are allowed to sway in the wind slightly. You definitely need to lift the planter off the floor. For spring planting, or when the plants are small and fairly tender, some kind of barrier like bales of straw on the windward side seem to help, creating a 10 inch shelter right behind. The lightweight fabrics used on most row covers might not be strong enough to endure hail, so adding a layer of thick plastic and securing it with bricks or other heavy objects should keep it in place long enough to prevent the plants from getting damaged. In extreme wind, row covers might be a good option. Covering your smaller, younger plants with cloches (plastic or glass covers) is a quick and easy way to protect them from wind. The advantage of this is that you can rotate the plant when you water it … Gardens in exposed locations are often subjected to strong winds that can damage garden plants. I've also seen guys use stakes and hammer in 10 x 1 planks for the same effect. In the midst of summer storms, our trees are vulnerable to heavy wind, rain, and lightning. In many cases, this means closer to the house or in a space where they will receive less direct winter sunlight. Protect plants from wind, rains and frost in the garden in early spring using walls and fences, living curtains, diverting run-off, raised beds, terracing, mulch, cover cropping and bed protectors. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. Just be sure to weigh this container down with brick or a boulder to ensure that it doesn’t fly off in high wind, and remove the container immediately after the threat of severe weather has passed. In the heat of summer, with temperatures hovering over 35C many plants will need some protection the sun. From sowing to harvest, wind can cause a lot of damage in an unprotected garden. Davey uses cookies to make your experience a great one by providing us analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content. I had a wheeled "stand" about an inch high that I used for a pot for a large plant. Modern technology can allow us to see a storm system, the path it will most likely take, and how long it will last. If you have a historical or unique tree on your property you would be devastated if you lost, lightning protection can help keep it safe. Sunday October 08 2017, 12.01am, The Sunday Times. The rule of thumb to keep in mind while pruning is that branches should never be longer than half of a tree's diameter. How To Grow Tasty Tomatoes Indoors Or On Patios, Plant Identification: Making A Plant Dichotomous Key. The wind can dry out the ground around your bedded plants, so make sure the plants are well hydrated before the storm hits. Make sure that the plants are not half full or less of dirt. Back. So somewhere find or construct a platform for your tree. It is the rain, after all, that makes the garden grow. 1. These filter the wind, reducing its strength. Windbreaks and shelterbelts are semi-permeable barriers that reduce wind speed and provide shelter for plants. Preventative Pruning. View our Privacy Policy for more information. 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