WIND Protection Ideas for Outdoor Pots?

[Anne_Fetamine]

I know wind is good for cannabis stems...makes 'em nice & STRONG. But since I'm growing short little autoflowers in flimsy Smart-Pots from China, I'm more concerned about the pots themselves blowing over & dumping out. I won't have the pots near the house where I'll be able to keep a close eye on them--they're going out beyond the backyard in the "farm area" for security purposes. Lots of tall grass & weeds.

I went out there today to start planting poppies & was taken aback by how windy it was! And that's NOTHING compared to the Spring/Summer months. 25-35mph is normal all through March & April. It's awful. I don't plan to start my plants until May, but that won't be much better.

I'm already worried about maximizing sun exposure for my Lowryders...now I have to think about how to keep them from tipping over too. AND I saw a rabbit back there the other day. I don't have any expensive gardening supplies like fences to keep the bad guys out so I'll be relying on things like urine & home made herbal mixes (coffee, cayenne pepper, etc). Any other cheap-to-free suggestions welcome

If this grow yields anything but a headache I'll be shocked, lol.

 

[pothead66]

try some tobacco tea (half a ciggarete in 2 liters of water), sprayed on the leafs . I never had problems with critters, they take a bite , feel the taste and move on to other green things.
I heard human hair works too.

Also, burry the pots a little if winds are so powerful... or tie the pots to a burried pole.. do some lst or something, so the wind won`t fuck up your leaves

 

[Capt.Ahab]

I also live in a very windy area.
The prevailing wind here during the growing season is southwest. I plan accordingly to make sure the plants are protected from wind coming from that direction.
You could drive a metal rod through the smart pot to anchor it to the ground.
You could make sure your smart pots are large enough compared to the plant's size to ensure they dont tip over.
Your Lowryders are not going to get too tall so your best and easiest bet is to make sure you use a pot that is large enough to hold enough medium to make sure it wont tip over.

As for the pests... urine, dried blood, they will work to a degree. Ive used a commercial product called Liquid Fence that works very well. Smells like hell. It's primary ingredients are garlic and rotten egg. It would be easy enough to replicate at home.
Just dont put it on your plants . Put it around them.

 

[Anne_Fetamine]

Thanks guys!

The metal rod/stake idea is a keeper. That would still allow me to move them in case of a storm too (our storms tear up EVERYTHING...trees, houses & all). I went with 3-gallon lightweight pots that I could lift for this reason.

Liquid Fence sounds great/terrible Tobacco tea is another keeper since it's virtually free. I know if you see one rabbit, that means 10 more are probably hiding in holes that you can't see....if not more. They're cute but dang.

Looking forward to the day when I have my OWN land to use for this stuff so stealth won't be such an issue. If not for a certain person in this house, I could just put them in a sunny spot on our patio & let them grow like these little autos are meant to do.

 

[oldbootz]

Put some fence posts into the ground and wrap 40% shade cloth to make a wind barrier. Works like a charm.

 

[petert]

I live in a wind tunnel too. (The Columbia Gorge) I wrap a 6’ tall 4”x4” fence around my pot for the plant to grow into and until it gets there I slide bamboo poles through the fence and brace the main stem. Help to tie down the bamboo because the wind and slight movement of the plant will move the bamboo.

 

[RedDirtWarrior]

Do the same thing they do at construction sites.

 

[St. Phatty]

I would use a native plant, e.g. blackberries.

They take some of the force of the wind, and also provide aerial cover that makes it harder to see your garden.

In general, wind is GOOD for your plants - unless they cause a crease in a stem, when it is loaded with bud, that causes the stem to droop.