Tropical Storm Coming My Way! Zone 9

I have a tropical storm heading straight for my square foot garden. I have a box (4 x 10 x 12") filled with MM. I have tomato's, peppers, carrots, lettuce, bush beans, cucumbers and greens planted. The plants aren't yet producing much fruit, but look good and have many blooms. (semi-mature) All but the beans and greens have been transplanted or direct sowed about a month ago. We are slated to receive 4" of rain. The bed is guarded from the wind on three sides. (the east side is somewhat exposed in comparison) What can I do, in anything, in preparation to receive this much rain????????

I just had 6" of rain overnite on Friday into Saturday and everything was fine. The MM drained beautifully. I actually watered it again yesterday.

Can you put up burlap or some such on that 4 side? You know how tropical storms are, the wind blows from each side at some point.

CC

Thank you! Good Idea! Burlap would probably work good as a blocker and it might not get blown away.

Yeah, the great thing, well, ONE of the great things about MM is it is basically impossible to overwater especially be Nature.

I was thinking you could do the following rather quickly. Install six 1/2" EMT poles, 4 at the corners and 2 at the 5' marks on the long sides ($12). Secure with 1/2" EMT double winged clamps ( pkg of 25 ct about $4-. Secure burlap or 4' wide 50% sun shade from Home Depot, with a dozen large binder clips (box of 12 large $4 at Office Depot). The burlap or shade cloth will allow some wind to get through so the poles will be secure. They can later be used for shade cloth.

For everyone in Harvey's path, be safe.

Cat 4 now! Please be safe.

Thanks.  I am greatful that it looks like the serious stuff will miss the ms gulf coast, but I am thinking about those in Texas.

How is everyone doing the the Harvey impact area? Houston with a couple million residents - hard to relocate that many people. Corpus Christi, Rockport. How about Louisiana and maybe Mississippi?

sanderson wrote:How is everyone doing the the Harvey impact area?  Houston with a couple million residents - hard to relocate that many people.  Corpus Christi, Rockport.  How about Louisiana and maybe Mississippi?

We haven't even gotten any rain here yet.  We were forecast to have over 4" by now. You never know.

sanderson wrote:How is everyone doing the the Harvey impact area?  Houston with a couple million residents - hard to relocate that many people.  Corpus Christi, Rockport.  How about Louisiana and maybe Mississippi?

Houston has about 6.8 million people and being America's fourth largest city. I worry about food and so many other things such as sanitation.

We here in Canada are following everything that happens. Harvey covers such a large area that so many smaller places do not even get a mention. I expect this hurricane would cover all our Vancouver and nearby cities;  Toronto, perhaps?

Just checking in to say hi: Down here in San Antonio we lucked out, got a little rain and some wind, nothing like they were forecasting Just watching TV and counting our blessings.

A correction to my last posting about Houston having 6 million people.  That number covers 19 counties.  It was the way that article was written that mentioned only the city of Houston and now I read another article say 6 million over counties. Still horrendous for everyone there and there is still a long way to go for them all. 

Newbeone from San Antonio; I used to have friends there in the Airforce and I visited them a couple of times in early 1980s and again in 2000.  I always remember the River Walk and read that it could be hard hit.  I do know they retired there after returning from Germany after their last assignment. We originally met them while they were stationed in England.

I hope more Harvey belt folks will report in.

sanderson wrote:I hope more Harvey belt folks will report in.

I expect that will be difficult to do.  But if any of you are reading this, know that we are praying for you.

Kelejan wrote:

sanderson wrote:I hope more Harvey belt folks will report in.

I expect that will be difficult to do.  But if any of you are reading this, know that we are praying for you.A

Amen.

What a tragic situation. My heart goes out to all those affected by the hurricane and follow-on effects.

trolleydriver wrote:

Kelejan wrote:

sanderson wrote:I hope more Harvey belt folks will report in.

I expect that will be difficult to do.  But if any of you are reading this, know that we are praying for you.A

Amen.

What a tragic situation. My heart goes out to all those affected by the hurricane and follow-on effects.

A bit light-hearted, TD. thanks for awarding me an A for my quote.

Kelejan wrote:

trolleydriver wrote:

Kelejan wrote:

sanderson wrote:I hope more Harvey belt folks will report in.

I expect that will be difficult to do.  But if any of you are reading this, know that we are praying for you.A

Amen.

What a tragic situation. My heart goes out to all those affected by the hurricane and follow-on effects.

A bit light-hearted, TD. thanks for awarding me an A for my quote.

That's what happens when I try to respond on the forum using my cell phone. But you deserve the A anyway.

Nate is heading my way.    Anyone have anything to add about how I can protect  my bed/plants?  I probably have 50 unripe tomaotes on the vine and 20 cukes!  I would appreciate all suggestions. (Inexpensive would be great!) We are looking at up to 70 mph winds here.

Here is the layout.  The bed is somewhat already protected on 3 sides, but the winds direction could very possibly be coming from the east.  ( which is the side I'm standing on when I took this pic. )

I would wrap the bed with something that is "holey" such as 50% sun shade from Home Depot or burlap. Are the wood stakes secured strongly to the wood sides of the bed? If not, 6 EMT sections strapped to the outside with double-wing fasteners would allow you to wrap the cloth around and secure with large binder clips from Office Supply. Come summer, the shade cloth can be repurposed as sun shade and the ENT can be fitted with upper cross pieces for the cloth.

Thanks guys.  I am going to try to get to Home Depot , but time isn't on my side.  The storm is moving very quickly.  I am wanting/planning to at least do the east and south side as Sanderson is describing.  I did try something just now that I really need outside thoughts on:

After wrapping the tomaotes closest loosely with tomato tape to keep them contained, I loosely tied the two outside stakes together with jute. Then I tied each of them down to the frame, and left slack so it could move, but not Fall all the way over.  ( this is how we anchor out boats when a storm comes and for tide movement) 
Here is where I really need all of your opinions please.
Will the plants being all wrapped together make them more of a wind block than help?
Would it be better for them to be loose so wind could move through?
Would it be better for the plants to actually fall over than to be held in place? (Could they break)
Off topic : should I pull all fruit that is of a decent size even though they haven't started to turn yet?  Will they turn off the vine ?
I guess what I'm trying to avoid is end up doing more harm than good.
I realize this is all guess work.  But your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks

Brian, are you using bamboo as stakes?

Regarding pulling the green tomatoes, if you leave them on, some may survive the storm and you may end up with red tomatoes. If you pull them, they will be green tomatoes! Maybe pull one in each cluster to lighten the load? I would put energy into creating the wind block (partial block). Attach the weed fabric so that it is open at the bottom for a few inches.

sanderson wrote:Brian,  are you using bamboo as stakes?  

Regarding pulling the green tomatoes, if you leave them on, some may survive the storm and you may end up with red tomatoes.  If you pull them, they will be green tomatoes!  Maybe pull one in each cluster to lighten the load?  I would put energy into creating the wind block (partial block).  Attach the weed fabric so that it is open at the bottom for a few inches.

I tried.  At least if my garden is gone after, I can be mad at the storm and it myself.  Thanks for your help.

Yes .  Those are bamboo stakes .
I strung braided fishing string through the top and the bottom for support as well,

Looks good, all you can do is ride the storm out....I think you will have more survive than you are thinking....