We’re never prepared to face bad weather, from storms to sudden rains. If we’re unlucky to be far from home or at work, we must wait until we can safely walk outside, but this ruins our entire day. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about our outdoor spaces because they’re the first to be affected by these meteorological events, and they’re usually ruined.
The UK, especially, was subject to aggressive storms in the past weeks. First, Storm Babet hit eastern Scotland, leading to grave floods. But lately, Storm Ciarán seems to go through all of England, Scotland and Wales, having strong winds and rain.
Although these events are not frequent, you should still be prepared for any bad weather, especially since the cold season is slowly settling. Therefore, here are some tips on how to prepare your outside space for any unfortunate weather.
Minimise wind and water damage
During a storm, the garden, outdoor furniture and decorations might get damaged by wind and water, so it would be best to always be prepared. For instance, you could trim dead branches of the trees in your garden to ensure they won’t get ripped off and destroy your house. You could also try installing a windbreak for your garden, especially around flowers or produce because it creates a barrier of protection during strong winds.
When it comes to your outdoor furniture, care for each piece in accordance with the material used to ensure a long life. For example, even concrete should be covered because too much rain can weaken the structure. Let’s not forget about wood, which is most sensible during rain and high humidity, so getting an outdoor wood protector is best to ensure its long-term quality.
Ensure excessive water goes somewhere
The worst thing that can happen to your outdoor space is flooding because it’ll simply wipe away all your progress and furniture. Hence, you must devise a system to make sure that with every heavy rain, all the water has a place to go to avoid this issue.
For example, you can develop raised beds for your crops so they won’t be buried in saturated soil. At the same time, the quality of your soil matters when it comes to absorbing the water, so include organic matter, such as compost, within the garden’s soil structure.
On the other hand, nothing compares to good drainage and swales within the property to collect and redirect water in a suitable direction. Another great solution to this problem includes a pond that automatically collects all rainwater that you can later use to irrigate your garden.
Make sure to also care for your utility room, especially if it’s made of wood. Get some wood preparation treatments to avoid mould forming in the garden garage and also decrease the chances of the wood altering in time.
Take care of your garden during freezing periods
After the rainy season, another challenge for the outdoor space is the cold, which can freeze your produce and damage all the plants. That’s why it would be best to invest in a greenhouse where you’ll be able to grow vegetables and other foods during winter. It’s also possible to heat it during extremely low temperatures, which are frequent around January in the UK. If you don’t want to use additional electricity for heating, you could choose to insulate the greenhouse better by adding more layers of plastic that leave an air pocket between them and the walls.
On the other hand, if you don’t have the space for a greenhouse and have only installed a few bed crops, you could put some row covers on them to protect the plants from snow. But you might want to plant crops that resist the cold, such as leeks, cabbage and carrots, because other sensitive produce doesn’t withstand the winter conditions.
Monitor signs of extreme weather
You can depend on weather forecasts, but they’re not always reliable locally. That’s why sometimes you get surprised by rain when a sunny day is forecasted. But you can do your monitoring from home, and this can significantly help you protect your house. These methods are great if you work from home or there’s always someone at the location to assess the situation.
The most basic method is to install a measuring device outside the house that monitors the actual conditions. There are multiple types of such devices, such as the following:
- An outdoor thermometer shows the temperature outside;
- A barometer displays the atmospheric pressure, which can indicate a storm is coming;
- A wind vane and anemometer track the wind’s speed and direction so you can see when a strong wind is approaching;
- A digital weather station is packed with different thermometers and are more advanced as they can also be connected to your smartphone;
- A rain gauge lets you measure the amount of rainfall in your location;
- An analogue weather station are classic devices that display the weather condition in more straightforward terms;
Last, but not least, be wary of lighting
Lighting is hazardous. On average, around two people per year are killed by lightning, and their likelihood to be struck by it depends on their activity at the moment, for example, if they’re doing leisure activities outside.
However, lighting is as dangerous and unpleasant if it’s struck your house or something nearby. Although there are no ways to avoid it altogether, there are two things you can do to minimise the chances of the event occurring. First, make sure to trim all trees that have been growing too much because they might be the first target and they’ll cause damage. Then, protect all electronics outside used for irrigation and other activities and keep them inside.
Final considerations
Extreme weather is reasonably scary, as we cannot do much about it, and it can surely damage our houses and neighbourhoods. However, there are ways to protect ourselves and the outside of our houses by taking care of the garden and the furniture to minimise the damage.
