Rescue pots

Pots soon fill with water but you can unblock drainage holes with a cane. Don’t allow plants in pots without drainage holes to sit in water or they’ll die.

“Shrubs kept in pots for many years are vulnerable if they haven’t been repotted annually,” says RHS Chief Horticultural Advisor Guy Barter. “The roots completely fill the pot, leaving very little air space. If the compost gets waterlogged you can save the plant if you act quickly: remove it from the pot, cut off the dead roots and repot in fresh compost. A foliar feed will help too.”

Diversion tactics 

Water butts quickly overflow in heavy rain, so fit a diverter that will direct excess water down the drains to prevent further damage if the bad weather continues.

Tidy up debris

Loose branches lying on the soil can do a lot of damage if they continue to blow across the ground after they have fallen. Pick them up and put them out of the wind. Remove clumps of soggy leaves close to plants and in the gullies between lawn and border. 

Keep off the grass

Even in your haste to get things in the garden back to normal, wait for the weather to improve before wheeling your barrow across the damp lawn. Developing patience, as well as optimism and stoicism, is essential for a gardener and a good mix for life as well.

Be cautious

Flooding caused by rivers bursting their banks, or overloaded drains releasing diluted sewage into the garden, are potentially serious. Any crops covered in flood water should not be eaten. When clearing up, cover any cuts with waterproof plasters and wear rubber gloves and wellies. For more advice, see the Public Health England website (hpa.org.uk). 

How to protect your garden ahead of bad weather

Check and prune trees

Ensure that existing trees are regularly pruned, maintained and monitored for signs of branch cracks, ill-health and/or decay. We accept that, in other areas of our lives, we need regular health checks – be it our own bodies, our pets or even our cars. So let’s get into the habit of doing the same for our trees.

Regular tree inspections are not as expensive as you might think and can be a blessing if you ever need to put in an insurance claim following storm damage. To find out more, contact the Arboricultural Association (trees.org.uk) or the tree officer at your local council.

Evergreens are much more vulnerable in strong winds than deciduous plants – leylandii conifers have been common casualties in the storms because these tall leafy trees catch the wind as effectively as any spinnaker on the Solent. If you have tall conifers, consider taking the tops out once the weather improves.

Protect roses

Roses carrying leaf and flower during a storm means that their branches are vulnerable in gales. These top-heavy stems can lever roots out of the soil as the wind rocks them back and forth, exposing the roots and graft. Prune them back now, using sharp secateurs, even if there’s still lots of leaf. Cut back hybrid teas to a few inches. Floribundas are best taken down to between 12-18in (30-45cm). Old-fashioned and shrub roses need a gentler regime and are generally reduced by a third. Check that ramblers and climbers are securely tied in, and gently firm in all roses with your feet, covering any exposed roots with soil.

Remove ivy

Remove ivy from the canopy of existing trees or fences. Ivy loves clambering up into the crowns of trees to obtain maximum light. It is not a parasite and will not harm trees or boundaries directly, but it can make them more prone to blow over (especially deciduous trees in winter) as its evergreen foliage catches the wind rather like the sail of a yacht.