WEATHER THE STORM
I’m a gardening expert, here’s how to keep your plot safe during the storms next week
You need to act now to help your garden survive the weather
BRITS are bracing themselves for more heavy rain and strong winds as the remnants of Hurricane Kirk head towards the UK.
The Met Office warned of highly "unsettled" conditions into next week just days after flash flooding hit parts of the nation.
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With this in mind there’s no time like the present for Brits to begin putting measures into place to shield their gardens from the harsh weather conditions.
Experts at have revealed the best measures to take to prevent damage to your gardens this autumn/winter.
Protect your plants
You may have spent the past few months growing beautiful plants and flowers, so the last thing you want is for the storms to ruin all your hard work.
Persistent wind causes the stems of plants and flowers to snap off, blow away or knock over. In addition, this harsh weather causes plants to quickly dry out which can result in them dying.
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To protect them, windbreaks are an effective way to reduce the amount of wind reaching your plants. You can use fences, walls or strategic hedges to protect your plants whilst also providing privacy and security for your house.
Garden netting can also be used to cover large areas with plants, or singular plants. Make sure the netting is made from durable material and use this all year round for maximum protection.
For plants that are difficult to move or cover, their best chances for survival are by getting them in the best shape possible.
This can be done by pruning your plants just before the storm hits to ensure there are no loose branches that can easily snap off in heavy winds.
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Protect outdoor furniture
As a whole, the best way to protect your furniture is by packing it away in a shed or garage to avoid causing damage to the items itself, but also your property. Light furniture items such as chairs have the potential to smash windows if left alone in windy conditions.
However, if you don’t want to pack away your outdoor furniture just yet, here are a few ways to secure them.
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One of the simplest ways to stop your furniture from blowing away is to tie them together. Stack patio chairs on top of each other and secure them with rope to make them heavier and as such, less likely to fly all over the place and break.
To further protect furniture, consider purchasing a heavy-duty furniture cover that’s made from waterproof material. Ensure it fits tightly over your furniture so it doesn’t blow off.
It’s not uncommon to see swinging chairs, trampolines and bins going flying during a windy spell. So to avoid this, it’s important for anything that isn’t fixed in place to be weighed down with anchors.
Secure fences
If you notice any fences to be rotting, broken or leaning, then these are signs that your fences need to be replaced or fixed.
Failure to secure your fences can pose a safety risk and could also lead to further damage.
Firstly, a broken fence will be less stable and more likely to fall over if the high winds start, which could injure anyone who stands near it - as well as posing a potential lawsuit or hefty fine as you’re liable for any incidents occurring from your property.
Secondly, if a section of the fence comes down, it could bring down the rest of the fence which could leave your garden at a security risk and also impact privacy.
Check your drainage system
Strong winds often come with large amounts of rainfall. If your drains aren’t properly functioning, this can increase the chances of flooding and waterlogged plants.
A good drainage system will allow water to freely flow through. However, it’s common for dirt, debris, mud and leaves to build up and slow down the flow of water.
October gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the jobs you need to tackle in October.
"It’s a good time to trim deciduous hedges - like box, yew, hawthorn, hornbean and beech - plus hedge trimmers are a great upper body workout!
Make leafmould - gather up all the fallen leaves and fill either bin bags or plastic carrier bags. Seal the top, stick a few small holes in the bag - and then store for a year or more. Free compost!
It's unlikely you’ll get any more red tomatoes so have one final harvest and chuck the plants on the compost. See if you can get the green ones to ripen by putting in a drawer (some say with a banana). Also keep the seeds from a couple - and plant again next year if they went well.
Finish getting in your spring bulbs. Ideally you’d have done daffs and alliums, but tulips are better in the ground when the soil temperature gets a bit colder.
It’s good to leave some plant litter in the ground - it adds to the nutrients as it rots down, and provides shelter and food for insects. But remove the manky brown bits collapsing all over the lawn/winter structure.
Mulch - it not only suppresses weeds, but keeps the soil warm, improves water retention and adds a little winter duvet to your outside space.
October’s a good month for carrots, peas, asparagus, broad beans, and rhubarb."
To eliminate the chance of blockage it’s essential to keep up to date with regular maintenance and repair jobs, along with installing drain covers to prevent small items from clogging the drains.
If you do notice that water isn’t going down properly, pour boiling water down the drain to further help blockages.
Ensure your trees are protected
Wind can lead to branches breaking off and even smashing into houses. Not only can this be expensive to fix, it can also be dangerous to lives.
It’s worth inspecting your trees and seeing if there are splits in the wood or if any branches are dead.
To keep your trees protected, regularly water them to prevent leaves from drying out, especially on windy days. You may also want to mulch, spreading a thick layer of it around.
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To keep your trees protected, regularly water them to prevent leaves from drying out, especially on windy days.
You may also want to mulch, spreading a thick layer of it around trees to protect the soil from wind and water.
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