Tough call. Can you take the plastic all the way off? I would cut the tree branches off. Having it secured to the rebar might be your saving grace. I would put the plastic up if it were me. Your decision! You have to live with the consequences. We boarded up and stayed for 3 hurricanes in Vero Beach. We had 2 wood greenhouses without plastic on them. No problems with any of the storms. Had an outside mat full of plants. I laid them all down. Spent several days outside securing anything that could blow away. It was an incredible amount of work. I'm praying that Irene goes out to sea!

"I would put the plastic up if it were me" Double Ditto!

Either put the plastic up entirely (preferable), or leave it down. The worst would be to roll it up halfway.

Speaking from 5 years of experience with 6 high tunnels, close it up tight. If there is nothing growing in it, I may even think about pulling off the plastic. It is small enough that it won't take much time. IF you leave the sides up, it could/would become a kite. I close all my buildings before thunderstorms and tornadoes arrive. I have not lost a building, yet. It is best to keep the wind out.

Keep some greenhouse tape on hand in case of a puncture or a rip. If you don't have greenhouse tape, go out and buy some clear duct tape ore even vinyl packing tape.

Just my two cents!

Jay

You're possibly going to have flying debris. That will tear plastic.

Dan

What is a high tunnel? How tall are they?

I'd take the whole shootin match down. Hurricane force wind have the potential to destroy it either way, but if I had to choose, I'd keep them rolled up, so the air pressure stays to a minimum, if that's possible in a hurricane. Good luck!

Joe

I'd take the plastic right off...if at all possible.

rebar in wet soil will not provide much anchorage. if it were better anchored i would roll the sides down and see what happens.

jay is correct...sides down and sealed up tight for sure, if possible pile some extra dirt around the bottom to keep the wind out- your goal is to not give the wind a spot to get hold of, once it has something to get under you have a problem... i have dealt with high tunnels for 12 years and have yet to lose one as well (although i was out in the middle of one hurricane pounding 4 foot sections of 2x4 into the ground to hold one down that had lifted about 18 inches- that was the storm that trashed so much of richmond about 10 years ago).

rolling up the sides is just going to cause it to catch wind like a sail...

zackey- high tunnels are basically unheated greenhouse frames covered with plastic... mine are either 10 or 12 feet at their highest point but there are many different sizes...

strongly agree with Jay and biscgolf. If you can not take down the plastic, a strong seal is what you need. Use dirt, bricks, pails of water, flowerpots.

Here is a message from Johnny's Seeds about prep for hurricane.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to minimize Hurricane Damage

Very good advice. Granted I have only experience up to 60-65mph, and I built my first hoophouse in 1999. I now use very few clips compared to the past, typically 12 per 4X12 hoophouse, but I make sure I seal well. The seal is everything.

In regard to the maple, it is difficult to give advice without seeing the layout. Trees are typically downed by gusts that hit the natural oscillation resonance of the tree, typically 1Hz, and not by the constant wind pressure. In fact, they often fall into or across the wind, the direction determined by which large root broke first.

You can take the natural resonance of a tree down by a factor of 100 by tying the main trunk, reasonably high, to other similar trees. Not an easy job, specially with time running out, and the chance that partial tying may guide a tree into someone's house when it falls.

Let us know how it went...

Richmond VA

MY GREENHOUSE IS STANDING TALL AND PROUD!!!

Thank you all so much for your advice. You guys are just great.

They closed our offices on Friday afternoon about 3 so I went home and started sealing it up. The only thing i didnt do was nail the door shut and I figured I would do that on Saturday morning since Irene WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO SHOW UP UNTIL NOONISH! Irene started up about 7:30 Saturday morning and did not stop until midnight or so. I nailed the door shut in the wind and rain on Saturday morning and watched the storm unfold through the kitchen window.

We've had plenty of storms blow through this spring and the wind always seem to come in from the North. We've been very lucky that way because the garage protected the greenhouse. Irene was blowing in mostly from the South side of the greenhouse so it was taking the full force of the wind. Needless to say, I was concerned.

I'm happy to say, although it looks like it's covered with pesto, my greenhouse suffered zero damage! I'm absolutely amazed because this storm was powerful enough that it blew down trees and power lines everywhere. We've been without power, phones, water, etc. since Saturday afternoon. Nothing is open for miles around us.

If only I could grow ready to drink coffee in my greenhouse! I'm at work this morning; after washing my hair in a bucket of cold water! Again, thanks everyone for the advice. I'm so grateful! Hope everyone else has made it through this ok.

Jennifer

Sure am glad that you and your greenhouse made it through the storm safely. I hope everyone else is safe also.

Jennifer, I'm glad your greenhouse made it safely thru the storm. I'm planning on building the same type of greenhouse once I relocate to N.C. Can you tell me how your greenhouse weathers snow and freezing temperatures?
Mary