Protecting Container Gardens During Heavy Downpours
While summer rain is a blessing, severe thunderstorms accompanied by high winds and torrential downpours can wreak havoc on a small balcony garden. Taking proactive steps to protect your backyard plants ensures they receive the benefits of the rain without suffering structural damage.
Heavy rain often comes with high winds, so it is vital to follow a pre-storm checklist to ensure your pots don’t tip over.
Wind is often the biggest threat during a summer storm. Tall, top-heavy plants like staked tomatoes or climbing vines act like sails, catching the wind and easily tipping over.
If a severe storm is forecasted, temporarily move your tallest and most fragile potted plants against a structural wall or huddle them closely together in a corner of your patio. Grouping pots together provides mutual support and prevents them from blowing over.
Drainage is absolutely critical when growing in containers. A severe downpour can drop several inches of rain in a matter of hours. If your pots do not drain quickly enough, your plants will drown. Ensure every single container you own has at least one large drainage hole at the bottom.
To facilitate even faster drainage, elevate your pots slightly off the ground using specialized “pot feet,” small wooden blocks, or even spare bricks. Raising the pots by just one inch allows gravity to pull the water through the soil much faster, preventing the bottom layer of soil from turning into a muddy, anaerobic sludge.
For highly delicate plants, such as young basil seedlings or freshly planted ferns, consider providing temporary shelter. A simple patio umbrella, a lightweight row cover, or even an overturned clear plastic storage bin can shield fragile stems from the physical battering of large, heavy raindrops while still allowing the ambient humidity to benefit the plant.
