Garden Prep for Hurricane Season
July 5, 2022
By Jessie McSwane
I’ve been thinking a bit about hurricanes. Hurricane season spans the entire summer and most of the fall. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says there’s a 65% chance of an above-average season. So far, we have only encountered Tropical Storm Alex, which brought high winds to much of the Caribbean. This means we have B-Z to potentially contend with! This is not meant to be a doomsday post; but rather one to help us prepare our gardens and protect our plants! There are some things we can do now and other things we can be ready to do at a moment’s notice:
- Stake tall plants that might break in high wind.
- Use row cover cloth to protect young seedlings from heavy rains.
- Mulch beds and walkways with straw or other organic materials to protect soil and roots from heavy rain (heavy rain on bare soil can cause compaction and soil loss).
- Keep a supply of buckets or other containers that can be weighted or staked in place. They can be used to cover midsized plants.
- Create wind barriers.
Check out the Farmer’s Almanac online for more ways to protect your plants in extreme weather!
Jessie McSwane
Director, Stewardship
JMcSwane@peconiclandtrust.org