COLLEEN'S GARDEN: Battening down the beds

Our no-name nor’easter is likely to bring strong wind gusts and several inches of rain. My big takeaway is to focus on securing your garden against wind and excess water while capturing the rain as a resource.

I am 1.5 miles inland, so storm surge is less likely than it is right on the shore, but high tides and heavy rain can still cause ponding, saturated soil or minor flooding in low spots. Salt spray is also possible with strong onshore winds.

Here is my checklist:

Secure against wind first

Gusts can topple or shred plants and turn loose items into projectiles.

1. Move or group containers, hanging baskets and lightweight pots into a sheltered spot — a garage, against a solid wall or low to the ground. Water them thoroughly beforehand so they are heavier and less likely to blow over. Lay larger pots on their sides if needed.
2. Stake or tie down tall plants, tomatoes, peppers, young trees and climbers. Use soft ties or cloth strips to avoid girdling stems. Reinforce or temporarily remove wobbly trellises and cages.
3. Clear the yard of loose items, including furniture, tools, toys, empty pots, décor and bins. Store them inside or anchor them securely. Check sheds and greenhouses to make sure doors and windows are secure.
4. Prune only obvious weak, dead or dangling branches that could become missiles. Do not do heavy pruning right before a storm, because open cuts increase stress.

It may seem a bit excessive, but if you have mulch, go ahead and put it in your beds 2 to 3 inches deep. Keep the mulch pulled back from stems and trunks. It can help reduce erosion and keep roots anchored.

Manage water and flooding

1. Check your gutters, and especially make sure the downspouts are still properly attached. Clear them of debris so water can flow away from beds and foundations.
2. Check for low spots where water pools. If possible, lightly regrade or create temporary shallow channels to direct runoff away from valuable plants and the house. Avoid directing water onto a neighbor’s property.
3. I will skip this because I do not have much besides lettuce, but you can protect tender or newly planted beds with temporary covers if salt spray or extreme wind is a concern. Row covers, frost cloth or even overturned buckets weighted down can work. Remove them promptly after the storm so plants do not cook or stay too wet.

Make the most of the rain

This is the big opportunity this time of year.

Set out clean rain barrels, buckets or trash cans under downspouts or natural drip points from roofs or sheds to capture free irrigation water.

I plan to redirect the overflow from my downspouts into my garden and mulched beds so the water soaks in rather than runs off. This recharges soil moisture for fall and spring growth.

After the storm, once the soil is no longer saturated, that deep watering will benefit established perennials, shrubs, trees and lawns — especially if your area has been dry.

I always check for waterlogging. Most plants dislike prolonged standing water.

Wind has fewer upsides, but there are a couple of practical notes.

Strong winds can help dry foliage after the rain ends, reducing some fungal disease pressure if you open things up promptly.

They may also disperse seeds or pollen for certain plants, but the main effect is mechanical stress. Focus on protection rather than “using” the wind.

After the storm

1. Inspect for damage, including broken stems, uprooted plants, eroded mulch or salt residue on leaves. Rinse leaves with fresh water if salt spray was heavy.
2. Remove debris promptly so it does not smother plants or create pockets of standing water.
3. Use collected rainwater for watering in the following weeks rather than using the hose. Rainwater is free!

Stay dry!

Colleen Connor, our garden columnist, is co-president of the Cottage Gardeners of Marblehead and Swampscott.