FUNNY?

[tim]

No one (unless I've missed it) has mentioned WINDBREAKS?

When - in our younger days - we had the 2 allotments up the road, we always used Rokolene windbreaks.

Well worth a look!!

[tim]

[katynewbie]

;)

Well, was planning on Jerusalem Artichokes for mine..!!!

;D

[tim]

So long as the wind blows from that direction? And it usually blows the artichokes over!!

[mat]

The plot next to me has green "stuff" as a windbreak all round his allotment.  All I can describe it as is strong green finely woven nylon mesh, which is very dense... anyway it is about 4' high and means no sun reaches the about 8' along the southern side of my plot all day in winter... I hope as the sun gets higher, this situation improves.  I have a 4' path along there, but there is still 4' of bed in shadow  >:(

mat

[glow777]

The wind can only get into my plot from one direction so I used the greenhouse as a windbreak and always try to put wind affected plants on the quiet side.

Would like to try weaving something out of the longer hedge trimmings but without casting too many shadows, there are already too many sheds neighboring my plot

[MrsKP]

that's my problem too mat.  my exposed bit ( :P) about 20' of it, runs east/west and if i put any kind of windbreak up it would leave half my plot in shade throughout the day.

there is a conifer on the neighbour's side of the "bit" which has shrunk considerably since i arrived (loppers are very handy things to borrow) (absent neighbour btw).  the shadow  it casts throughout the day is somewhat less than it used to be.   :P

[John_H]

I grow soft fruit along the north and west edges of the plot. So the wind break consists of different briar fruits plus blackcurrent and redcurrent bushes. Its not that much in the Winter but it thickens up well each spring.

[tim]

I agree that it's a trade-off between light & calm, but if it's your netting, it's well worth it. But too much of a barrier only makes things worse with eddies.

It protects 3 times?? its height.

[MutantHobbit]

Funnily enough I was thinking of investing in wind break material, but as a new guy I'm a bit clueless as to where the prevailing wind comes in from.  I've sourced some 45% windbreak netting from Dax Products Ltd, (www.garden-products.info) and I'm looking at 1M X 50M for £52 inc VAT + Delivery, which seems like good value. :) 

Just need to do some research into which direction the most damaging wind comes from and which plants are most susceptible.  :-\ 

Glad  to see someone's on the ball, Tim! ;D

Dave

[plot51A]

Great subject, Tim. I've bought some planning to use it with my outdoor toms as recommended by Joy Larkcom.

[Debs]

Periwinkle...

I don't want to appear dense here, but...

"What is planning?"

Debs  :-\

[tim]

Nice one!

In our neck of the woods it's something you have to have permission for!!

[plot51A]

Oops where's that comma gone?

[supersprout]

Would like to try weaving something out of the longer hedge trimmings but without casting too many shadows, there are already too many sheds neighboring my plot

Glow, I have just joined HDRA (Garden Organic) and they have seminars on making willow structures for your garden. Just thought worth posting in case the idea is one for you too?

[glow777]

will have a look ta SS

[Debs]

Oh dear, that was very dense of me  ;D ;D ;D

[supersprout]

I've sourced some 45% windbreak netting from Dax Products Ltd, (www.garden-products.info) and I'm looking at 1M X 50M for £52 inc VAT + Delivery, which seems like good value. :) 

Hi MH, did you ever get your windbreak netting? If you did, would appreciate tips on how you fixed it? ::)

[mc55]

our plots all have to have privet hedges around them - one is about 4' high and the other side is around 5'. 

Wind has been terrible here today and last night - will survey the damage tomorrow.  Hope stuff in my potting shed is OK - door is propped open day and night to avoid high daytime temps (can't get there every day).

[fbgrifter]

sorry if this is a really dumb question but what damage does wind do and which plants are susceptible?

[MrsKP]

they break in half, they snap, the get flattened and they get wind burn.   :'(

my broad beans were virtually lying down and look well battered, as do my new pink poppies that have yet to bloom, and it sliced a tomato Totem in half !  i've already had to move a pot of petunias from a wind tunnel as it was going brown with the wind burn.  the sweetpeas up the runner bean trellis seem to have weathered the storm pretty well surprisingly, and the low plants have escaped without harm and possibly might have even toughened them up a bit !  she says hopefully !  :P