Preparing your greenhouse for a hurricane or severe storms

Added on 04 July 2022

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Preparing your greenhouse for a hurricane or severe storms

The brutal reality of Mother Nature is her unpredictability and tendency to throw things our way that we simply cannot stop. A hurricane can ravage any greenhouse unfortunate enough to be in its path and cause overwhelming damages that cost large sums of money to repair. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare your greenhouse so that damage is limited, and crops can be saved. Being prepared is the difference between incomprehensible damage and the ability to repair and recover.

Steps You Can Take Now, or Anytime, to Prepare

Construct your greenhouse according to local building codes
Check your connections and structural members, and remember to secure loose components
Make sure glazing is properly installed, and keep additional inventory on hand for emergency covering
Develop an emergency contact list (FEMA, insurance company, greenhouse supply, and construction contractor) and keep numbers and emails current
Make a disaster recovery plan for key electronic and hard copy documentation
Determine capacity, phase, portability, and quantity of generators needed
Confirm access to such items as first aid supplies, weather radio, plumbing supplies, portable lights, batteries, lumber, nails, tarps, and ropes
Conduct an annual or semi-annual review of insurance and know the limits of your insurance coverage. Plan for areas not covered (flood insurance), changes or improvements (new structures, computers, automated equipment, etc.), and business interruption coverage
Develop pre- and post-hurricane responsibilities (insurance communication/management, crop mitigation, greenhouse mitigation, and portable water) and who should take ownership of these responsibilities