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wind
Mar 22, 2010 19:55:38 GMT -5
Post by littleminnie on Mar 22, 2010 19:55:38 GMT -5
What vegetables have you noticed seem most bothered by wind? How about peas and cucumbers? (any wind, not just cold)
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wind
Mar 24, 2010 13:34:55 GMT -5
Post by ottawagardener on Mar 24, 2010 13:34:55 GMT -5
I was wondering what this thread might be referring to. I don't have a very windy plot (still giggling sorry) but I imagine that plants with large leaves might be torn a bit ragged, and other might wilt if the wind was drying. I know that finely cut leaves of certain veggie varieties are recommended for windier sights. Now I'll let someone actually answer the question
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wind
Mar 24, 2010 13:49:46 GMT -5
Post by ottawagardener on Mar 24, 2010 13:49:46 GMT -5
Another thing, letting vining or climbing plants sprawl will help avoid moisture loss and keep them hugging the ground away from some wind exposure. For example, tomatoes and squash both root on their stems helping to anchor them and give them more access to moisture as well as allowing their leaves to shade the ground keeping it more moist. I am pretty sure that silvery fir tree tomato is listed as wind tolerant but I couldn't find any reference beyond what I remember. Maybe the same might be true of semi-leafless peas that have more clinging tendrils and less leaf to be stressed.
Of course, wind breaks would help but you were asking what are harmed by wind...
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wind
Mar 28, 2010 19:23:17 GMT -5
Post by littleminnie on Mar 28, 2010 19:23:17 GMT -5
Any other comments? I haven't had a decent pea or cucumber crop since I started gardening in the field I rent vs home. It is extremely windy there and I have to presume that is the reason.
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wind
Mar 28, 2010 21:04:38 GMT -5
Post by mnjrutherford on Mar 28, 2010 21:04:38 GMT -5
What about soil quality? Have you tested? I would imagine wind would be an issue if it's aggressive enough. On the other hand, I haven't had a crop of peas yet either. They die pathetically. But I THINK my issues are soil related and I HOPE I have them at least partially remedied.
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wind
Mar 29, 2010 6:41:58 GMT -5
Post by galina on Mar 29, 2010 6:41:58 GMT -5
littleminnie,
our plot can be quite windy. We get 60mph or more gales quite frequently around this time and again in September and early October. This plays havoc with newly transplanted peas and beans. I pre-grow all my peas and beans, transplant and firm in well to prevent windrock and use individual bottlecloches or other cloches for protection until the plants are established and less at risk.
Later in the year my tall growing ph vulgaris beans usually get shredded and often their support structures fall over or need re-enforcement. Ph coccineus beans stand up to winds better. We have a calmer period during the summer months. But if you have winds all the time, tall vegetables will be nearly impossible.
As ottowagardener said, keeping to low growing cultivars is a good choice. And maybe you need to invest in windbreaks, such as growing a hedge or rigging up semi-permeable fencing. The rule of thumb is that a certain height of fence or hedge will protect ten times that distance. If your hedges/fences were two metres high, they would protect an area twenty metres long from wind. In practice you will still get gusts from other direction than your normally prevailing (where you would place your windbreak), but much less of your garden will get damaged.
Crops such as Jerusalem Artichokes or sunflowers can act as a windbreak. Or a row of willow (this can be harvested regularly for making willow support structures for your vegetables. Effective, even though they are not a solid barrier. In a way a partial barrier is better than a solid barrier anyway because there are no eddies around the hard edges.
I hope you can arrange for windbreaks, else keep to short varieties.
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