What do you do with your garden when you live in windy weather?
Rather than forgoing a well-planned yard altogether, gardeners in areas exposed to continuous or high winds should design the landscape with the weather in mind. The ideas below are extremely helpful in protecting your garden from strong winds that can potentially cause permanent damage to your crops.
Windbreak for Windy Weather
A windbreak is a great first step when landscaping for windy weather. You can use a collection of trees or shrubs, capable of handling strong winds and growing close together, to create a garden. These plants act as a natural wall to diminish the strength of the wind. Consider trees and shrubs with dense foliage.
Select Tolerant Plants
Choose native plants because they are already adapted to your region. In the case of strong winds, going the extra step and picking plants known for their wind tolerance is essential, particularly if you choose not to create a windbreak first.
Fencing and Walls
To decrease the need for extra planning regarding plants, gardeners can simply put up a solid fence or wall. Sturdy materials, such as concrete or brick to make a wall, or wood for a stockade fence, create protective enclosures so gardeners can grow most types of plants within the yard. Fences can either surround the entire yard or add concentrated protection for smaller plants such as vegetables or delicate flowers. Trees planted within a fenced-in area stand a better chance against nature’s elements, as well, because wind-damaged trees quickly become susceptible to problems that include disease and insect infestations.
Prune and Mulch
Proper care helps keep a windy landscape healthy. Gardeners should go above and beyond meeting general needs, such as sun exposure and irrigation, and protect trees with additional cultural landscaping. Prune trees evenly, according to the needs of each species and before branches reach an inch in diameter to protect them from wind damage, advise the surrounding plants to protect them from wind damage and other problems, including moisture loss and weed competition. Mulching is especially helpful because wind erodes soil and dries trees out. Use a heavier type of mulch, such as large wood chips, to prevent it from blowing away. The best mulching material varies from plant to plant, but organic mulch works well for most gardens.
When discussing your landscape with a company, mention these ideas so that your hard-earned money is going into a garden that will last through the elements and especially windy weather.
First Fruits Landscaping handles all garden and landscaping needs and landscaping throughout Snohomish and King County. For more information on landscaping for HOA common areas or for consultation, please contact our office below.