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 home’s 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