October 2026 Edition

Translated from Gnim by CMG Kelly S.

Dear Comalito,

As we gear up for another big storm here in Hill Country, what can I do to protect my plants?
Signed,

~Afraid of being washed-out … again

Dear “Washed Out,”

Great, and very timely question!

While the well-being of your mature trees and shrubs may not be of much concern during storms or other intense weather events, smaller plants can be easily damaged or even wiped out.
Fortunately, smaller plants are easier to protect.

Here are five ways, recommended by our friends at Native American Plants (and tweaked by Comalito), to protect your plants during thunderstorms and heavy rain.

  1. Protect the Roots – Protect the roots of your plants by spreading mulch. A 3-inch layer around the root area can help to mitigate root exposure with a heavy rain. Just keep the mulch at least 3 inches from the plant’s foliage.
  2. Coverage – Cover your plants with overturned pots, bowls, buckets, or other appropriately-sized containers to keep them from suffering wind and rain damage. Be sure to weigh down the coverings in order to hold them in place. Rocks, cement blocks, and bricks, work well.
  3. Wrapping – Wrapping certain plants in a strong fabric, such as burlap, can help protect them from wind and pounding rains. For larger plants, vines, and shrubs, wrap the plant in burlap and tie with heavy twine, using garden stakes to make a frame where necessary. For newly planted trees, at least the trunks should be wrapped in a similar manner, though the frame should be made from posts about a foot taller than the tree to ensure protection from heavy winds.
  4. Row Covers – Using a heavy row cover, will help protect rows and beds of smaller plants from storm damage. With this method, it is important to leave extra room on either side of the row cover and weigh it down tightly before a major storm. Be sure to “tent” the cover over the rows, so that the water does not pool on the tarp and crush your plants!
  5. Anchors – Trees and shrubs that have been newly planted stand to take a lot of damage during a driving storm. These plants should be anchored using 2 to 3-foot stakes pounded about 20 inches into the ground. Stakes should be angled away from the plant before twine is tied to the plant and attached to the stakes.

Hope this helps! Good luck!