Taming the Wind and Sun

By April Hensley

Gardening is an act of love — love of new life, digging our hands into rich earth, love of the spring sun on our face. But with everything good and beautiful, there is work involved. Thankfully nature helps a lot by providing nourishing rain, earthworms to help replenish the soil, and buzzy bees to pollinate blooms.

Sometimes nature can create more work for gardeners. Wind and sun can be very destructive. If you live where there is no shade or windbreaks, you may have a hard time with your plants. Wind and sun dry out the ground and potted plants faster. Severe winds can break plants and strip away flowers and fruits. Hot intense sun can burn plants and fruits especially when they are small. People and wildlife appreciate shady places too.

There are ways to lessen the powerful effects of sun and wind to help our plants and ourselves.

• Create an artificial windbreak. Notice the direction the wind usually blows. Wood and vinyl privacy panels in strategic areas will help slow it down. Zip-tie a tarp to stakes driven in the ground, or to railings for a patio garden. Inserts can be purchased for chain-link fencing.

• Grow a windbreak. Depending on the size of your property or garden area, it could be as simple as vines or beans on a trellis to fast growing trees, ornamental grasses, and shrubs. Evergreen trees don’t lose their foliage in the winter. Windbreaks also help with heating bills in cold months.

• Plants that grow in the ground, like radishes and carrots, and low growing flowers and vegetables are able to better withstand severe storms and wind. Stake off tall plants like tomatoes. Grow corn in tight square formations.

• Many of the artificial and natural windbreaks mentioned also help with extreme sun by providing some shade to growing areas. Notice which direction the sun comes at the hottest part of the day.

• Pergolas, shade cloths, and shade sails are attractive artistic options for helping block some sun. Umbrellas and retractable awnings give some heat protection to potted deck and patio plants.

• In the garden, place taller plants in a row on the sunniest side of the garden to help provide some shade for lower growing veggies like pumpkins and herbs.

• Grow plants that love the sun. Plants commonly found in southern gardens are sun lovers such as peppers, squash, beans, okra, tomatoes and marigolds.