hail_driveway.jpgInevitably, gardeners in our area will have to deal with hail at some point in the growing season. Our area is so large and spread out that weather can be highly localized though. So rarely would the entire Pikes Peak region suffer from a hail storm all at once! No, we all politely take our turns.

This past weekend, it was the downtown and west side’s turn to experience a pretty heavy hail storm (Saturday, July 2). The hail was only about dime-sized (only!), but there was enough of it to shred many of our plants’ leaves. As I stepped outside after the hail was done (or so I thought – another round came about fifteen minutes later), I marveled at the fresh smell of cilantro and mint mingling together. I used a snow shovel to clear the hail and debris off the deck and walk as well as to shovel water off the driveway and into my beds. (Yes, you really can shovel water with certain snow shovels.)

So, rather than repeat all we’ve said before, here are some helpful previous posts on dealing with hail:
Hail Protection for Veggies
That Four-Letter Word, “Hail”

Contributed by Carey Harrington, Certified Colorado Gardener