Every year from June through November is hurricane season. These monster storms can ruin a carefully planned and thriving garden in the blink of an eye. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes and tropical storms, or in one prone to tornadoes, hailstorms, or just plain nasty thunderstorms, here are some tips to help you get your garden through it.

Watch the forecast. If there is a storm on the way, go out into the garden and pick as much of your crops as you can. Tomatoes and other veggies will usually ripen nicely even after being picked. As hard as it may be, it’s also a good idea to remove any immature fruits so they won’t become projectiles in heavy winds.

Lay down your vines. If you have roses or other climbing plants, carefully remove them from their trellises or other supports and lay them on the ground. This move will reduce their chances of being damaged in the wind.

Head indoors. Take all potted plants inside your home or garage. For any that are too large to bring inside, put them up against your home or other protected area.

Secure everything. Make sure all garden tools, garbage cans, hoses, and furniture are secured or brought indoors. More than once I’ve seen a garden crushed by a flying piece of lawn furniture.

There’s always hope. After the storm has passed and it’s safe to do so, go outside and take a look at things. Carefully remove debris and prune away any broken branches. If you find any plants with bent but not broken stems, use wooden stakes to support them. No matter how hopeless a plant looks, it’s often possible to save them. If they’ve been uprooted, check the roots, trim away any damage and carefully replant. For those still in the ground, trim away any damaged foliage and branches and be patient. As long as the plant has a healthy root system and at least a few leaves left, it will most likely recover. Don’t fertilize as the plants are most likely in shock and adding fertilizer could kill them.

If flooding is an issue, there may not be much you can do as most garden plants won’t survive long in waterlogged conditions. Instead, clear out your bed and let it dry out before attempting to replace any plants. Don’t be upset-just think of how much fun it is to go plant shopping!

Hopefully you’ll never have to worry about storms like hurricanes or tornadoes, but if you do, these tips will help. Of course, always put the safety of yourself and your family first! Plants can always be replaced, but lives can’t.