Hurricanes and Weather
Getting Ready for Hurricane Earl
Gardens like homes must be prepared for hurricanes before the hurricane
arrives… We learned years ago when hurricane Isabel hit us that preparing the
garden means you just might have flowers the following week or so if you just
take a few steps.
- Harvest all flowers from the
garden - If you have veggie
garden also do the same there- harvest anything even remotely ready to
pick. - We then cut our annual garden
back as much as we have time for and is within reason. Tall stuff will get
wind whipped and also may uproot the plant if it blows enough. - When a hurricane is heading
your way, you soon realize just how much stuff you have laying around your
yard and garden. It is easier and safer to pile the stuff in your garage
then to think it won’t blow away. It is no fun to look your neighbor in
the eye while retrieving your garden chair that is stuck in their homes
window. - Be sure all drainage ways are
clear of mulch and other debris that will block water flow. The water is
sometimes the most damaging part of a hurricane. I often dig little
temporary trenches so the water can roll through my garden easily.
We will spend the day tomorrow harvesting anything even
close to being ready, cut any tall stems back and be sure our netting is
in place.
Then we can rest as peaceful as is possible knowing that we
did all we could do to save our flower gardens from Earl and Fiona and whoever
else is brewing out there in the Atlantic.
LZ
Hanna Blew Thru—
The storm blew thru here on Saturday afternoon. Not as bad as expected, but still hard on a flower garden. I had harvested the garden a little harder than usually on the ThThursday before trying to lighten the load of foliage and flowers. However, our largest crop took a good wind lashing, the zinnias. They are so tall that those in the path of wind just laid over in the pathways. On the Monday after the storm, the garden was like a jungle, I cutmy way down the pathways. Hard work and lost a lot of flowers, but that is how it goes in hurricane season. It could be a lot flatter around here, so I am thankful to have a garden left to try to bring back.
Hope to be back writing now- sorry to have been away-
Lisa
