We’ve just had two big bouts of hail and my poor old plants have taken a battering.
We’ve just had two big bouts of hail and my poor old plants have taken a battering. Hail in winter is almost harmless, as hardy plants are well prepared for a seasonal onslaught, including hailstones. But hailstorms (and that is the only description for the happening a few days ago) in April are potentially devastating.
The warm, moist weather of the last few weeks on my Hampshire hillside has encouraged lots of plants to put on delicate new growth. And now some of that new growth has taken on a floppy, almost lace-like appearance, as those lovely tender leaves have been blasted with mini cannonballs of ice.
Everything growing inside the frames and tunnels is fine, though some of the fleece coverings were weighed down low with a layer of hailstones 1-2cm deep.
I’ve left some of the damaged growth in place, but I picked most of it off the plants, and anything edible was given to the hens and geese, as an unexpected, but very welcome treat. I hope, that having done this I’ll be minimising the risk of damaged growth succumbing to grey mould infection.
Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) attacks salad crops through cuts and tears in the leaves. If small parts of the foliage are affected, you can see the fungus covering them and throw those parts away. But at its worst it can kill the whole plant, leaving behind a slimy mess. I hope I’ve managed to dispose of all the hailstone damage that could make my plants vulnerable. Fingers crossed!
Alina W
24/04/2012 at 21:18
Bruising such as you describe is quite common from hail, yes.
