[Grubbypaws]

We were hit last evening by a tremendous storm. Within seconds the ground was entirely covered with large hailstones blown in at frightening speed. My husband pulled me away from the windows as he thought that they were going to get blown in.

 I am really not looking forward to going outside and seeing the damage. I can see from the window that all my lavender is flattened and the courgette plants  are in pieces. The leeks are all flattened and the basil snapped in half 

[Asherweef]

Oh dear... Where abouts are you? I'm on the mobile version and can't see but I'm oop Wigan and we had some rain last night immediately after watering my plants!!!

I'm not going to say commiserations until you inspect the damage - may not be as bad as it looks!!!

[Bing]

what doesn't kill them, makes them stronger!

[surbie100]

Fingers crossed it's not as bad as you think. We had a massive thunderstorm last night with driving rain, but thankfully no hail.

Am going up to inspect my culticaves on the plot, as I stupidly left them open last night. Hoping that the contents aren't too battered.

Let us know what it's like up there.

[Grubbypaws]

  courgettes tatty but have survived. Beetroot and parsnips ditto

  leeks all broken. Basil wont survive. Coriander and flat leaf parsley all have broken stems with leaves scattered around.

I have some basil undercover so we will still have some. The coriander/flat leaf parsley I will pick and use. The leeks are the real problem. Most of the leaves are broken in half. I dont know whether to trim them all or leave them. Anyone any knowledge here.

The sun is coming out so I might wait and see if things perk up, but what is snapped is snapped. In the flower bed the lavender and sanguisorba are completely flattened. The anemone and verbena are snapped in half, the apples have been stripped off the tree and we have big branches down.

[azubah]

Sorry to hear that.

The leeks still have some growing time, so I hope they will perk up for you. If the leaves are just split they will still be attached at the bottom.

[sunshineband]

How frightening 

Luckily the leeks will just need a trim up and they will be just fine. A little feed of Sulphate of Potash will see them rocket on again.

Glad there was no broken glass!!

[Tom Hill]

I would trim off the damaged leeks as there is time for them to recover.  It depends on how high up you are in the peak district, location is important, can you cloche them for a bit to give them a sheltered start ?

[seaside]

I agree with the above, trim them. It will only stunt them a little and will be fine. I have had to cut quite a few of mine down to ground level due to leek moth. They grow from the root.

[Sparkyrog]

I Feel for your loss " But it will all recover " 

[Grubbypaws]

Thank you Sparky and everyone else. The leeks are trimmed and fed. The scattered basil plants washed and eaten on some smoked salmon which my OH brought home especially to cheer me up. The coriander is in the fridge and will be used for chicken coriander tomorrow.

The courgettes were amazing. The leaves were shredded by the hail and all the fruit looks as if someone has attacked it with a shot gun! I know one can have too many courgettes but....

I have taken off all the damaged fruit and we had that as a risotto last night. I have also taken off all the damaged baby fruit so no more courgettes for a little while; there is always a bright side 

[snowdrops]

Oh just seen this, sorry for your losses Grubby,made me remember the devastation here last year when we were hit by a freak hail storm, some of you may remember I posted pics of the hailstones & a link to a video,not something I would want to go through again,gardens,cars,houses were trashed.

[Beetroot queen]

After the funny start to this year thats all you needed. I bet most will pull back its suprising how well these little plants pull through