I live in a nice area where the weather gets cold, snowy in the winter months, hot, and humid in the summer time but there are many other hobby gardeners who have hurricanes, tornadoes, and bad weather to fight. So what will you do when you know something weather wise is coming? Do what I do, learn to be prepared, calm down.
There are a few things and tasks that you can do when a storm is approaching but depending on the actual size of the storm – that can be another matter, just as with everything in a storms path sometimes the soundest of structures need looked after. So you find out there is an extremely heavy snowstorm approaching. How far from your home is your greenhouse? When you can see your greenhouse you are much better off (when you worry too much) than the gardener who can’t see their greenhouse. During the first few hours when the storm is brewing and laying snow in your yard, you won’t see much snow on the greenhouse during this time. The heat in the greenhouse in helps to melt the snow off of the roof. Over the next few hours, depending on the actual snow fall of course, you may see some snow accumulate on the greenhouse. When you expect snow to be on your house roof, this is when it will be accumulating on the greenhouse. Because the greenhouse roof is less sturdy than that of the wood sheeting and shingles on your home, you will need to brush off the snow when it is more than six to seven inches. When the snow is heavier (more wet) you may want to brush of the snow when it is only four or five inches. This is just a preventative measure to make sure the integrity of your greenhouse roof stays intact. Your hobby greenhouse is designed with withstand many more pounds of pressure from the snow but I always opt on the prevention side.
Another topic of weather emergency is when a thunderstorm is expected with high winds. When a storm is approaching you should be sure to close your door and your vents and securing them shut tightly with the measures that were provided with your kit. These are the same measures you will take if you suspect a hurricane or a tornado might be coming your way. In the path of a tornado or a hurricane, there is very little you can do for your greenhouse, or your home or garage in weather like that, but in the case of a thunderstorm with high winds or hail you can secure down. Securing your greenhouse vents and door, and making sure you have back up power in case of a power outage will be the best plan to follow. One of the bad things that can happen during a thunderstorm or any type of storm for that matter is objects that are blown around and blown into your greenhouse. When you know a storm is approaching, clean up your lawn area, secure the greenhouse and get inside. That is the very best plan for the storm of any season.