Hail Protection

[AlittleSalt]

We have a good chance of getting a hail storm here around midnight. I just wanted to share a way I use to protect tomato plants. It has worked many times for me. The little cages were made for pepper plants. I took the pictures before putting the clothes pins near the bottom of the cages.

I figure if we have a storm so bad that these don't work - we have other storm damage problems much worse than tomato plants.

I would like to know ways you all protect your tomato plants from hail storms.

[SteveP]

I bet that works great as long as the hail doesn't get big. I saw the line of storms blowing up in Texas and they look pretty rough. I hope everyone safety.

[AlittleSalt]

I got all but around 20 of them covered. I ran out of sheets, buckets, and totes.

[creister]

I only have a dozen, covered them with buckets with a few bricks on top. The last wo are covered with boxes. West of here they reported some really large hail. Confirmed tornado about 45 miles north. I hope we don't get hail. I have replaced two roofs in about the last 5 years.

[Gardeneer]

Well Robert, you have done the best you could under the circumstance. Lets hope that no hail will come your way. The sheets can can absorb the impact force.
We just had a mini thunder storm this morning and got less than 1/2" of rain.
Currently we have no warning other than pollen /
keep us posted, if you will.

[slugworth]

usually associated with high winds, so the sheets might go bye bye.

[KarenO]

Wet sheets won't fly. That will help a lot. Hail is always hot and miss and I hope it misses your garden

KarenO

[AlittleSalt]

It worked. There is a lot of clean up to do. There was a lot more damage to our west, north, and east. Looking at the news this morning, we got more rain than a lot of the surrounding area. I would much rather have the rain than what I'm seeing on TV.

[My Foot Smells]

I see the storm hanging on the okie/arkie border and it looks like another dousy. my sister's house got hit by an ef2 last Friday and ripped the roof off her house.

I got backup plants for the backup plants - so 3 deep is my method and only have 12 out so far and likely will only plant 22 this year (growing some corn (ambrosia) this year for a change)).

n-todes don't mess with corn??? or do they???

calling for 2" of precip in my backyard 2nite. glad the sheet held up, some of the winds have been fa-row-jus.

[brownrexx]

I saw on the news this morning that TX had 95 mph winds yesterday. Glad that you didn't have those. I am pretty sure that your little cages would not have held up against those!

[SteveP]

Salt, I am glad to hear your garden survived. I have seen some videos this morning of some crazy hail beating the crap out of everything. Sometimes when Mother Nature decides she is gonna get angry, about all that can be done is try to keep you and loved ones safe. Again, I am glad to hear you dodged the really severe stuff.

[AlittleSalt]

I just got back from the main garden. All but two of the plants that I didn't get covered are gone. The onion bed looks awful. I have no idea if they will make it? It's worse than I first thought. I still have areas to check on. I got some backups sitting inside the house. I'm glad our pepper plants are inside too.

Foot, n-todes don't like corn and grain.

[AlittleSalt]

I just seen the posts from Brownrexx and Steve. Yeah, mother nature was POed last night. I haven't seen any house or barns damage so far.

[My Foot Smells]

although pics can be deceiving, looks like a 5 gallon bucket would slip over those nicely. I got my hooped up in a TTC 24", maybe a bucket would fit into those? can't decide at the moment if I am too lazy for some prevention measure before that storm is on me... est. time of arrive is around 1700 here.

[AlittleSalt]

To cover or not? Here's the difference