Wind, flooding and other storm damage can wreak havoc on your garden. To keep any damage to a minimum, read our guide on how to protect and prepare your garden.
Our top ten tips for storm-proofing your garden
Here’s our advice on how to prepare your garden before a storm.
Secure fragile pots
Make sure any garden pots that are likely to be picked up by strong winds and smashed are secure.
You might need to temporarily bring them inside or put them in the garage.
If you can’t do that, place all of your pots together in one area of the garden and water them before the storm hits, so they’re as heavy as possible.
It’s important to make sure they’re well away from any windows or conservatories, as they could smash the glass if the winds are strong enough.
Check your shed
Securely fasten the windows and doors of your shed, if you have one.
Also, if there’s any structural damage – for instance, holes or patches in the roof – it's really important you try to fix this before the storm hits.
Wind or rain could force through any gaps in the structure and cause you some real issues.
Tie your trees
Some trees, especially ones you’ve planted recently and are still growing their roots, will need a little extra help to stay safe during the storm.
You can stake them (use small structures to support them) or temporarily tie them. Make sure there’s a little give in the ties as you want the tree to still be able to flex slightly, rather than snapping completely.
Put away loose objects and garden furniture
Any loose objects – for example, children's toys and garden decorations – should be tidied up and put away.
The danger is they could be picked up by strong winds and could damage your garden, smash windows, or even hurt someone.
It’s best to store them in your garage or inside your house until the storm has passed.
The same goes for garden furniture, but we understand it’s less easy to find the space to store chairs or a table.
If you don’t have space, the other options are to tie furniture together with bungee cords or invest in sandbags to weigh them down.
Prepare your bins
Your bins can do some serious damage if picked up by strong winds.
If you have a garage, try to store them away. If not, you can DIY a fastening with some bungee cords.
It’s also worth looking at a way to secure the lid so it doesn’t fly open and let the contents fly around.
You can buy specific locks or straps to keep the lid securely closed.
Prune your plants
If your trees have any dead or damaged limbs, make sure to saw them off as they could fall and cause damage.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, call in a professional to give you a hand.
It’s also best practise to make sure all of your plants, shrubs and trees have been pruned before storm season.
This can keep them healthy and strong overall, so they have a better chance of surviving strong winds and any other storm damage.
Stake your shrubs
For shrubs and smaller greenery, try to stake them to anchor them to the ground.
You can use garden canes or support sticks to do this.
Take down hanging baskets and bird feeders
As with pots and loose items, hanging baskets and bird feeders could be picked up by strong winds and damage other areas of your garden or possibly your home.
Store them away in the garage or house if you can.
Cover beds and delicate plants
If you have delicate plants, you can look at placing some burlap or cloth over the top of it and securing it to the ground to keep them covered.
This will help protect them from any storm damage.
Sort your drainage
If there’s heavy rainfall during the storm, your garden could flood and if that excess water is left to sit, it could lead to rotting.
Make sure your drainage systems and gutters are all clear.
It’s also a good idea to aerate your lawn to help make it stronger – all you need to do is poke some holes in the soil using a garden tool.
Recovering your garden after a storm
Once the storm has passed, you can start looking at any damage to your garden and fixing it.
The first thing you want to do is prune or remove any plants that have been damaged and can’t be rescued. This will make sure everything else can keep growing healthily.
It’s also a good idea to use the opportunity to weed your garden. The soil will be soft so it’s easy to either just pull them out or use a weeding tool.
Is garden storm damage covered by home insurance?
No, storm damage to gardens isn’t usually covered by home insurance.
We don’t cover storm damage to your garden plants, hedges, or garden furniture.
Most insurers don’t cover storm damage, so it’s important to prepare your garden as much as possible before storm season and take every step you can to plan ahead.
