I love the rain we’re receiving this year, but I cringe every time I hear the raindrops become heavy. The summer storms are a double edged sword: the moisture is precious and much appreciated, while hail could be devastating.

The disturbing thing about hail is it’s so arbitrary. My friend LeAna had hail devastate her beautiful garden where a half mile down the road, the fields were fine. She said it was the worst storm they’ve seen in the nearly 30 years they’ve lived there.

That’s been the story throughout the state this summer. Some people are nailed by torrential rain and hail, while others are spared. I’m sure there’s a deep philosophical message somewhere in there, but I’m at a loss at what it might be at this moment when the forecast calls for storms for us throughout the night.

How to Protect Plants from Hail

That’s the other difficulty: Hail arrives at the most inconvenient times. Ever wake up in the middle of the night with the rain coming down, and you realized you left the car windows down? What’s worse, is to hear hail and know you did nothing to protect your plants. That makes you sick to your stomach.

Several years ago our place was on the Garden Walk for the Paris Gibson Square Museum fundraiser here in Great Falls. It’s a great honor, and does take a fair amount of work to prepare the gardens for hundreds of visitors.

Anytime the meteorologist suggested we might have hail, I broke out the plastic folding tables and put them over my lilies. (My neighbors are used to such things anymore!) I knew they would be the showcase of the garden tour, so I didn’t want them shredded. I also had 5 gallon buckets and big planting containers ready to place over specific perennials.

In a pinch, cardboard boxes (as long as you can weight them down) and row covers such as floating row covers, blankets, sheets, or plastic also help. The row cover might not protect the plants as well as a hard covering. But at least it disperses the energy and will help prevent the leaves from being shredded.

Hail Damage in the Garden

But what should you do if you are hit by hail and can’t cover everything?

I know it’s devastating to walk into the garden among mud and hailstones lining the pathways with shredded leaves and sad looking plants, but don’t give up hope. While it might not bode well for decorative plants, many times the vegetable garden will bounce back.

Keep watering and feeding your garden, and you’ll be surprised at the resiliency of the plants. Trim off the most damaged leaves. Yet, try not to take off any that might be useful in photosynthesis; the plant needs all the energy it can generate. Just remember, while all might not be lost after a hail storm, the harvest will most likely be late. Hail doesn’t have to be the end, but it can be an unpleasant pause in the season.

(The photo is from my friend LeAna after a terrible hail storm this summer.)