Plants as Wind Buffers

How does wind affect plants?

Wind is air in motion, and strong winds can
cause plants to sway excessively, pulling and
tugging on their roots. This continual
movement interferes with the roots ability to
remain grounded within the soil, which
reduces the plant’s ability to absorb water,
leading to severe water stress and even death.
Let’s take a look at how does wind affect plant
size, plant wind protection your garden and
plants that do well in windy places.
How Does Wind Affect Plant Size?
Wind affects the growth and development of
plants in many ways. Shorter growth and
abnormal development results from excessive
movement caused by wind. This is a common
occurrence seen in plants grown in windy
areas. In addition to disrupting the root-soil
relationship, the combination of wind and sun
affects plant size.
The amount of these two elements can
quickly determine how plant surfaces dry.
Thus, wind increases water loss through
evaporation. As a result, wind-blown plants
require more watering or they will develop
water stress and could die.
Strong winds can also damage plants by
breaking them, distorting their growth, and
lowers the air temperature around plants,
which reduces their rate of growth.
Finally, wind can spread pathogens from one
place to another, especially when
accompanied by rain. Windblown rain can
spread spores from infected plants to healthy
ones, quickly inhibiting their ability to sustain
healthy growth and plant size.
Finally, wind can spread pathogens from one
place to another, especially when
accompanied by rain. Windblown rain can
spread spores from infected plants to healthy
ones, quickly inhibiting their ability to sustain
healthy growth and plant size.
 Plant Wind Protection
You can also plant wind protection in your
garden. Incorporating hardy trees and shrub such
as:

• mountain ash
• twiggy dogwoods
• compact willows,
• bayberry
• Viburnum

These act as wind blocks is one way to offer plant

wind protection.
However, you may also want to consider the
addition of small, retaining walls or other
barriers to protect plants affected by the wind.
Wood fencing, mesh screens, and trellis
panels can make effective wind buffers for
plant wind protection.
You can also create small, protected recesses
within windy slopes or other areas of the wind
garden. Simply dig out pockets for the plants
to grow in and surround these with built up
rocks or stones. To keep the wind from drying
out the soil and help retain moisture, add an
extra layer of mulch as well.
 Wind Resistant Plants
Some plants are considered wind resistant.
Wind-resistant plants have flexible stems,
which allow them to bend and sway without
breaking.
For instance, palms and crepe myrtles are
good wind resistant plants.
Plants that are adapted to windy conditions
usually have small, narrow leaves as well, such
as needle-leaved conifers and ornamental
grasses. In fact, ornamental grasses are some
of the most wind-resistant plants around, and
most require little watering. They can even
serve as miniature windbreak plantings for
less wind-tolerant plants.
 From perennials like daylilies, daisies, flax,
and coreopsis to annuals such as zinnias and
nasturtiums, there are a variety of wind
resistant plants for these conditions.