In Benicia,  the home of Avant Community Garden on First Street, the windiest part of the year lasts 5.2 months from April 2 through September 9, according to Weather Spark (www.weatherspark.com.) The windiest month is June and as I write this, the average wind speed today is 19.6 mph which is categorized as  “fresh breeze” by Weather Spark.  However, during Spring 2022, Benicia has experienced winds up to 39 mph or “near gale” almost daily. 

While some air movement is a good thing for growing fruits and vegetables, persistent and strong winds are not.  During constant winds, plants close their leaf stomata or pores to reduce water loss. As a reminder, the stomata (or plant pores)  allow the exchange of gases (CO₂ and O₂) with the atmosphere. Evaporation of water from the leaf surface occurs through the stomata.  A function of the stomata is to help in the process of transpiration. Based on the weather conditions, a plant closes or opens its pores to maintain the moisture balance.  Closing these pores also limits the plants' ability to breathe, slowing growth (and your harvests) by 50% or more.  Wind will also make containers dry out faster, adding more stress to your plants.  For those new to the area or new to growing fruits and vegetables these wind conditions and their effects can be disheartening and frustrating! 

Knowing where (direction) the wind is coming from – typically in Benicia the wind comes from west/southwest – is important so you can take steps to proactively protect your crops from the get-go and reduce the negative effects of Benicia's windy weather.  The following are some of the tried and successful methods we've used in the Share Plot at Avant Garden. 

For seedlings and new small plants put into the ground in April/May, we covered the plants with row cover cloth supported by tomato cages and secured the cloth to the ground for about three weeks after planting.  Of course, we mulched heavily, prior to covering, with rice straw to retain moisture produced by daily watering via a drip system throughout the Share Plot.  Upon removing the row cover, we inserted various sizes of garden stakes in all tomato (within the cages), eggplant, and pepper plants and secured the stems, loosely with twine to the stakes.   

As the weather turned warmer, the days longer, with June being the windiest month, we increased the drip watering time from 10 minutes to 25 minutes daily.  We also found it necessary to repeatedly replace the rice straw, especially around smaller plants like peppers and eggplant as the wind whips the straw and soil around the garden. 

For Avant Garden members who are gardening in raised beds, the problem of losing soil and mulch is not as much of a problem because all are contained within the bed.  Also, depending on where a gardener's bed is located within the garden, neighboring produce from other beds often acts as a wind shield or break. 

Home gardeners may find it helpful to create barriers to shield plants from the wind.  To be effective, the windbreak must be permeable to allow for airflow and sunlight.   YouTube is a great source for instructional videos on creating structures to protect your vegetable garden from the wind.

While no plants like the wind, some are more adapted than others.  Based on my personal gardening experience, succulents, herbs, and strawberries do well and of course, California natives like Hummingbird Sage or California bush sunflower are thriving in my windy garden.  Low-growing vegetables such as zucchini, squash, and melons grow abundantly and thrive in the Avant Share Plot.  Since mid-May, we have donated almost 200 lbs. of produce to local agencies and our Food is Free Solano stands. 

With care, persistence, and protection, your vegetable garden can thrive in the windy climes of our county.