All it takes is one big snow or wind storm to cause considerable damage to your greenhouse. With global climate change, storms are becoming more severe every year. Fortunately there are actions you can take to prepare your greenhouse for future storms.  Greenhouse Management magazine wrote an article on some useful tips to help reduce storm damage to the greenhouse. While these tips mainly apply to a poly greenhouse (with Solexx greenhouse covering, many of these concerns are greatly reduced or alleviated completely), here are some highlights that are universal no matter what your greenhouse covering.

Tips to minimize any wind damage to your greenhouse:

• Check for loose objects around that greenhouse that may become airborne in a windstorm and damage the greenhouse
• Inspect trees for dead or weak limbs
• Close all doors and vent openings to keep wind from getting inside the greenhouse
• For long term planning, consider growing a row of fast growing conifers as a wind block (planning them strategically so they don’t block the sun)

Tips to minimize greenhouse snow damage:

• Heat your greenhouse to 60 degrees F to keep snow and ice from accumulating on the greenhouse
• Have a generator on hand in case you lose power
• Remove any energy curtain so the heat can reach the greenhouse covering

Advantages of Solexx over polyfilm in snow and wind:

• Solexx greenhouse covering does not rip or tear
• Poly film uses electricity to keep it inflated. Solexx is not inflated, so electricity outages do not lesson the insulating ability.
• Solexx is extremely durable and will stand up to the weight of snow

Read the complete list of tips, Reduce storm damage to your greenhouses. If you have any additional tips to protect against wind and snow damage that have worked for you in the past, please share them in the comment section below.