hail-damaged garden plants fix: Hail rain definitely damages the garden, but with proper care your garden can become as green again as before. With these 5 tricks, the plants will not only be saved but will also flourish again.
Hailstorm is the biggest threat to the garden. Heavy hailstones tear leaves, break tender branches and cause sudden changes in soil moisture. Many times, a home garden built with hard work seems to be ruined in a single night. But the good news is that plants are very strong, and if the right steps are taken at the right time, 70–90% of plants can be brought back to health. With the 5 scientific and easy tricks given here, you can make your ruined garden green again.
Remove broken leaves and branches immediately
When hail falls, the most damage occurs to the tender leaves and new shoots. Broken parts introduce infection into the plant and divert water. Use clean scissors/pruners to cut away damaged leaves, broken branches and gnarled stalks. After making the cut, keep the plant away from sunlight for two days so that it can come out of shock. Apply light neem oil spray on the cut areas, it prevents fungus. This is important because a clean plant produces new growth quickly and energy is not wasted.
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Reset the soil after hail rain
Due to hail, the soil hardens and cold water accumulates on the surface. It gives shock to the roots. Loosen the top 1–2 inches of soil by hand. Add a thin layer of compost and coco peat mixed. The nutrients become active again and the roots get warmth. Hail kills soil microbes. In such a situation, compost makes them active again.
Spray Anti-Shock Mist
After a hailstorm, plants go into “shock mode,” in which they neither form new leaves nor absorb water. In such a situation, make easy anti-shock spray at home. Take 1 liter water, 1 teaspoon Epsom salt, 5–7 drops of neem oil and 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel (optional). Sprinkle it lightly on the plant as a mist. Due to this, the green color of the leaves comes back, the plant recovers faster and the formation of fungus is prevented.
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Protect the plants from direct sunlight and keep them in shade for 3 days
Leaves become soft, eroded and weak after hail rain. In such a situation, direct sunlight can burn them further. Keep the plants under a shade net, balcony or in an open but sun-free part of the house for 2–3 days. Water only lightly, not too much at all. Due to this, the plant comes out of shock and gradually regains its energy.
Give special recovery feed for new growth
When the broken parts of the plant are removed and it looks stable, it is time to give it a growth boost. Give these things every 10 days for recovery feed. 2 spoons of mustard cake water (dissolved), 1 handful of vermi-compost and a little seaweed liquid, these three together give fast growth to the plant and new leaves emerge quickly. The effect will be visible in 3-4 weeks and there will be a strong stem with new buds and new green leaves.