Hurricane Preparation

Hurricane Irene is rapidly approaching the Eastern seaboard and is expected to hit Cape May, new Jersey on Saturday night, and travel up along the coast effecting Philly and New York. Being 13 miles outside of Philly my parents are going to be getting a lot of rain and strong winds up to 40-60mph!
This means that everything on the porch and in the yard needs to come in out of the rain or be tied down so it won't blow away.


Here are some things to do before the rain comes (so you aren't outside trying to bring in a lawn chair while carrying an umbrella).

1. Take down all of your hanging plants and bird feeders!
2. Bring in any container plants/gardens from the yard and porch to inside the house or a strong shed.
3. Don't forget about your lawn ornaments and garden art that is fragile or won't sustain strong winds.
4. Pick any vegetables that are ripe or almost ripe, especially tomatoes (squished tomatoes on your neighbors lawn won't make you any friends)
 5. Stake any young plants, trees or flowers that won't be able to stand up in the heavy wind and rain
6. Bring in Chinese lantern or hanging votive candles you might have placed outside or around your deck.
7. Put all lawn furniture in a shed or basement; if you don't room to store your patio table flip it upside down with a trash can with a sand bag inside of it on top.
8. Put a lid or secure a tarp over your compost pile, especially if it is almost full to the top (again you don't want rotten food all over your yard).

Plants from the porch brought inside for protection.

Don't forget a tarp so not to ruin the wood floors!

What have you done to prepare for the hurricane?