• Use a barrier around your garden like tall plants, lattice panels, or even hedges.
• Plan ahead for bad weather storms to further shield your garden against high wind gusts.
• Work with an arborist to cut back any tall or hanging trees to prevent garden damages.

When the forecast has high winds, it’s natural to worry about your garden (especially those newly planted bulbs and seeds). When it comes to protecting your garden against any wind damage, we tapped some gardening experts to help with their best tips to keep your green space safe for spring.

Create a Barrier

When it comes to protecting your garden from high winds, Steven Corcoran, the CEO of Lawn Love, recommends creating a screen or barrier around your garden.

“For example, planting tall shrubs around the border of a garden can help not only provide privacy screening but also block a lot of that wind,” Corcoran says.

You can also turn to hardscaping elements like a fence to give it that extra durable protection. Valeria Nyman, the chief product officer at Taim.io, on the other hand, suggests permeable barriers like hedges, lattice panels, or even a row of sunflowers.

This will help break the wind but also let it slip through without serious impact.

“The trick isn’t fighting the wind, rather it’s making peace with it,” Nyman says.

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Prepare for Bad Storms

If you know a bad storm is rolling in, our experts recommend preparing in advance so your garden is well-equipped. Corcoran suggests using some burlap to help secure and cover your plants.

Nyman recommends mulching more since bare soil isn’t helpful against heavy winds. Consider piling a thick layer of bark, straw, or even crushed leaves to keep the ground from drying out.

Don’t Tie Plants Too Tightly

It can be easy to assume that tying up your plants with zip ties and stakes is the ultimate answer. However, it can be more damaging than you think.

“Plants need to flex,” Nyman says. “If they don’t sway a little, they don’t develop strong, wind-resistant trunks. It’s kind of like weightlifting in that stress makes you stronger.”

Take Care of Any Trees

If your garden is right under any trees, it may be time to re-evaluate the space and any overhanging branches. Kaustubh Deo, the president of Blooma Tree Experts, recommends being proactive to prevent any falling trees that could severely impact your garden.

“A qualified arborist should be able to complete deadwood pruning (pruning out any dead branches, which would likely fall in a storm), as well as risk reduction pruning,” Deo says. “Risk reduction pruning usually involves reducing the tips of long, overextended branches, to make them less of a lever in a windstorm.”