70+ MPH Storm - Weather damage at the Muddy Bucket Farm

[Kierkegaard]

I'm sorry about your plants. We had the same storm come through here near Cookeville, although not as fast of winds (70--wow!) and the rain just spit on us.

[Tania]

Ted, I am so sorry to hear that... I hope you can still get some harvest from the poor tomato plants there were blown down. I see your stakes did hold up very well - great job!

[nctomatoman]

Goodness Ted - glad to hear you are OK. Gardening is not for the weak of spirit - we work our butts off and more often than not, something unexpected comes along to present a challenge. Good thing there is an annual renewal of spirit.

don't overdo it, and looking forward to future reports of how things came through.

[stormymater]

Glad you & yours are OK - the garden will recover (well maybe not the corn). The dwarves are the most resilient creatures aren't they?

[ContainerTed]

Tania, I'll still have plenty of harvest. As usual, I did some "overplanting".

Craig, the dwarfs are still going pretty well. I have plenty of fruit for all the seed production varieties. Some of the others are a bit behind due to the extreme hot weather.

Stormy, I think you're right about the dwarfs handling the wind better. Those dwarf rows in my garden took the storm first. In the third picture above, imagine the storm coming from directly behind you (and directly from the damage in the first two pictures). The wind was even strong enough to rip a pallet up from the ground and toss it about 75 feet away. That pallet had been there for about 5 weeks and was a bit stuck down to the grass. The force of that same wind blew out two of the small plexiglas window paines in the basement door.

I want to say something good about BAMBOO stakes. Not a single one in the garden failed. Inch and a half and two inch oak, poplar, and maple stakes failed, but not inch and a half or less bamboo. Best of all, I have a very good source and they're free.

I'll update a bunch of the dwarf threads with pictures of some ripe fruits tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks to all for your compassion. I'm still tired from the recovery efforts in yesterday's 98F with high humidity.

[nctomatoman]

I know I say this every year, but keeping things thriving in this heat (and our part of Raleigh seems to have a bubble over it that pushes storms away) and dry weather is taking its toll....so this year's garden may be the biggest I will attempt, and next year and beyond will start the process of downsizing to a more manageable level! If we were in the 80s (even low 90s) with reasonable rain, that's one thing...but solid blocks of 100s, high humidity, lack of rain, then gusty winds take a bit of the fun out of it.

The constant 100s are starting to take their toll on a few of the dwarf types as well - seems like Uluru Ochre does not like extreme heat - plant just kind of suddenly goes down (but there was lots of fruit set on each). Rosella Crimson/Rosella Giant not a fan of this heat either.

But still - very, very few total losses. Except my weight from all of the watering!

[meadowyck]

Ted, Bamboo would take that wind better, I try to say to folks around me that if they were to plant the clumping bamboo that when the TS or hurricans came they would have less damage from the bamboo then from the palm or oak trees. Plus when the winds blows which where we live it does every day, you have the added benefit of listening to the clums clapping. Don't get me wrong, I love trees, but I love them more when I lived up north and didn't have to always worry about the storms like here.

Craig
I can't even begin to see how you have managed to handle a garden of your size with the weather conditions that you have been experiencing over the last several years. So much work that it does take its toll on the enjoyment of it, no longer a labor of love, more like a love hate relationship..... Heres to a return of more manageable weather patterns for you to enjoy the garden duties again.

[stormymater]

we've had sveral weeks that have had 3 or 4 days of 25 - 30 mph unrelenting dry & then wet winds & the dwarves have handled it much better than any others - even those of comparable size. Sleeping Lady has been on the deck & not fazed by wind that have rendered Hawaiian Currants to pitiable things. And she has given us over a dozen absolutley delcious maters in addition to looking marvelous. I think the NE phalanx of maters will have to always be some combination of dwarves - Sleeping Lady, Perth Pride, Dwarf Mr. Snow, Summertime Gold, Beryl Beauty & Jade Beauty are all winners in the windy weather here! As is good old Lime Green Salad.

Watch yourself in the high heat & humidity - I have been watering more (all by hand) And have needed to take Magnesium capsules b/c I sweated enough to start getting foot cramps at night. Have been keeping up w/liquids (no headache or dizziness) but got low on magnesium.

[clara]

I'm so sorry for all your losses and damages! But the most important is that you and yours are okay!

It seems to me that the weather this year worldwide is more crazy than in other years: Very heavy monsoon showers in Thailand some weeks ago (during my vacation, sigh...), cool temps and too much rain in Middle Europe, now terrible floods in Eastern Europe with more than 100 deads and you in the US with (partly) no rain although urgently needed, heat and storms...

[Heritage]

Crazy weather... glad to hear you and the Dwarfs made it through OK, Ted.

[Worth1]

Ted dont think for one minute I dont care about your storm damage.

I just thought I would give you time to get over your grief.

Sometimes storms stink.

I have dodged a few here myself.
As they always say not all is lost you and yours are ok and it is nothing that cant be replaced.

Best wishes my friend.

Worth

[Got Worms?]

Ted, I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune, but glad no one was injured. Hang in there, plants (like people) are pretty resilient.
Charlie

[RebelRidin]

I am very sorry to read of all the damages folks have suffered recently. This weather has been brutal for many and tragic for some. I am glad you made it through without anyone being injured Ted. Best wishes for an uneventful remainder to your season.

[Skaggydog]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Yesterday, we had a severe storm ...
On a positive note, the Okra came thru just fine.

...

I guess you grew your "Okra Windfree".

[Crandrew]

Originally Posted by Skaggydog

I guess you grew your "Okra Windfree".