So far…
We’ve had Storm Dudley, then Storm Eunice, and now Storm Franklin on the way, though there’s strong winds now (Sunday afternoon) with sudden gusts of heavy rain.
Friday’s Storm Eunice has been devastating for gardeners who’ve lost greenhouses and sheds, many too damaged to repair; also polytunnels that will need replacement covers. And the damage caused to the young plants and equipment inside them.
We were in the Amber warning zone, and only lost a small plastic bell cloche. More luck from the wind direction. It would have been a different situation in a Red weather warning area.
We can only plan ahead when there’s a storm due, and hope we’ve done enough. But reality, we may still lose.
* My Plan…
- Reduce the risk of flying debris. Weight down anything that could be caught by the wind and not only hit the greenhouse and topple it over, but rip the cover.
2. Limit the opportunities for wind to get inside from the bottom edge of the plastic cover. And position the greenhouse to provide full or partial shelter.
3. Use anything heavy in front off exposed surfaces. Any way to keep the mini greenhouse upright, as long as there’s no risk of ripping the cover.
4. Move mini greenhouse/s indoors- if space available. (Should be option 1. in severe storms.)
*This is only what I do for my location and weather circumstances. It should not be taken as advice on what you should do in your situation.
Left: Heavy garden chairs preventing greenhouses falling forward.
Middle: A length of polystyrene between the plastic cover and the bubble wrap filling the gap on the exposed ground side of the greenhouse.
Right: Shows how far forward the winds shifted the partially exposed greenhouse (today, Sunday). Roughly the same size gap as Saturday’s post-Storm Eunice, before I pushed it back against the wall.
This weekend has continued wet, with today’s rain forming puddles in any dip in the ground or paving.
It’s going to be muddy getting to the compost bin this week…
Mini-Greenhouse Growing 