meadows, last year I tied my jugs together with twine, and then tied the twine to some metal garden furniture which we keep outside all winter. This year I'm just sticking some chopped-down sapling trunks through the milk jug handles (a good use for the endless invasive Tree-of-Heaven saplings that pop up all over the land we live on). Ladyrose, last year Louisianagal had a great tip for the duct tape: folding back a tab of the duct tape onto itself so that the tape is easier to grab when you're ready to take it off in the spring (thank you, louisianagal!) See photo below. Last year I just did once around the jug with the tape and it worked fine. I also put small holes in the jugs with a small sharply pointed steak knife (see photo below) to make a place to insert a pipe cleaner twist tie for the spring. I just rotate the steak knife back and forth a few times while pressing it against the milk jug plastic and this makes the hole. I guess you could use an ice pick, an awl or the pointed end of a pair of scissors or something for this too. If you make pipe cleaner holes, it's easier if you make the holes BEFORE you make the big cut through the center of the milk jug. The first time I tried making pipe-cleaner holes last year, I tried to make them after I made the center cut and it was really difficult, lol. I took the duct tape off in the spring and then just used the pipe cleaner closure after that. As you can see, I'm nutty and I actually draw a little line on my milk jugs with a magic marker before I make the center cut (it helps me to make the center cut straight)!!! Happy sowing!

Wow jen912, that is a toughie. Most wind breaks that are effective are 3 to 5 layers of various trees and shrubs in staggered rows. My MIL had one on her farm and it occupied 30 ft or more. I have a very effective privacy screen on both sides of my city back yard, but it only blocks the wind in a marginal way. These beds are 5 to 15 ft wide and contain a mix of evergreens, shrubs and small trees. All these living things require maintence too. I'm wondering if you have given any thought to other types of blocks? I've seen some unusual and lovely things done with tall bits of fences set at an angle. Then there are arches, columns, and other architectual things. Our local library has tons of books about non-plant items for the garden. I've even seen chain-link fencing prettied up with bamboo screens, trellising, etc. Good luck in your quest. Pondy

Almost anything quick enough to help this year would have to be an annual. And I don't think I would plant roses near tomatoes because of roses' propensity towards foliar disease AND because of the thrip issue with both roses and certain tomato diseases. Some of the tall cannas, planted closely together, might make enough growth by August or so to provide wind protecion for the fall garden crops. My cannas are already 4' or 5' tall, but they've been here a while. I don't know how quickly brand new ones would grow. Do you? MAYBE crape myrtles, planted fairly close together, if a person could find some that top out at 6 or 8 or 10 feet in height without massive and disfiguring pruning. I am seriously considering planting a row of hollies on the three sides of my garden that don't border the driveway. I worry they might get too tall and shade it too much after 4 or 5 years of growth, but I think if I CAREFULLY choose a variety that grows to a decent height, but not too tall, it could work. I also know I would have to plant them back 4 or 5 feet from the garden fence so that, once they were mature, they would come close to the fence, but not through it. Hollies would be my choice because they are so pest and disease resistant and grow to be quite dense. I have Dwarf Burfords around the porch (CAREFULLY selected and planted pretty far from the porch and pretty far from one another) but the word "dwarf" is relative, since I expect these to top out around 12' to 18', which is taller than your average "dwarf" shrub, but shorter than regular Burfords which can easily get 20' to 30' tall. I'd choose a shorter variety to hedge in the garden. If I thought that we'd never have this kind of wind again, I wouldn't bother.....but I know that we will. For a lot of years, I have relied on annuals for a windbreak. One of my best ever included tithonias, lion's tail, several of the tall grain-type amaranths, and branching sunflowers. However, those annuals probably wouldn't be able to handle this year's wind. I also grow vines on my fences, and am going to let them climb the new 7' fence, so that will help but they don't completely block the wind.....just slow it down and filter it a little. I don't know if Mike is in a real exposed area, or it he has a lot of houses and other buildings around. In this case, the more buildings the better to block the wind.....EXCEPT that tomato plants need a little wind to help with pollination and also to help prevent foliar disease by helping dry moisture on the leaves Mike, if you are reading this....tell us more about your site, or what you've already tried.....or what you're comtemplating trying! Dawn

I am actually going to contradict a bit what some others have said. I think you should only do this bed this year. Move on to making other beds in following years. It is important to enjoy your flowers too and that you not spend all your time digging, weeding, fertilizing, and watering. It is also better to grow a few things well than a lot of things badly. Just my opinion I guess. (If you find yourself with a well manicured bed though and jonesing for more garden projects, don't let me stop you. My advice is just coming from someone who has bitten off more than he can chew before. It is good to complete one project utterly before opening a new can of worms.) And your pussy willow isn't going to immediately become a large tree. You have a few years to plant whatever around it. Stay true to your original vision.