Clear the Gutters Before the Rain Arrives

Autumn storms rarely announce themselves politely. A week of soft drizzle can turn into a night of driving rain and sixty-mile-an-hour gusts, and any weak point on your property will find itself tested. The good news is that most storm damage is preventable with a few hours of work on a dry, bright afternoon. Start at the top, because water is the enemy that does the most quiet damage.

Clogged gutters cause water to back up under the eaves, soak into brickwork and rot the fascia boards. Before you climb a ladder, check the run with binoculars from the garden. You are looking for moss, leaves, seed heads and the occasional abandoned tennis ball. Once you are up there, wear gloves, hook a bucket onto the ladder and work in short sections. Flush the downpipes with a hosepipe afterwards; if water stands in the gutter, your fall is wrong and it needs adjusting.

While you are at it:

• Fit gutter guards or a simple leaf trap on downpipes to save yourself the same job in November.
• Empty and reposition water butts so they cannot overflow against a wall, and check that their taps and stands are sound.
• Clear drainage channels, grids and gullies of leaves, especially on sloping drives where water gathers.
• Check soakaways and French drains are running freely rather than backing up into the yard.

Secure Fences, Gates and Outbuildings

Fencing takes the brunt of autumn gales, particularly on exposed boundaries and along field edges. Walk the perimeter and push each post with your hand. Anything that rocks needs attention now, not after the storm has laid a whole panel flat. Concrete spurs, new posts and galvanised wire will outlast timber alone, and a diagonal brace on a long run makes a remarkable difference.

Check that gate hinges, latches and bolts are tight and greased, and that gates cannot swing freely in the wind. A gate that slams repeatedly will pull its posts loose within a season. Look at sheds, coops and log stores too. Replace missing felt, screw down loose roofing sheets, and clear the roof of branches and debris before they become missiles. If you have a polytunnel, check the tension of the cover and the security of the hoops; a loose cover shreds in minutes, while a tight one rides out most weather.

Storm-Proofing the Hen House and Run

Hens are remarkably hardy, but they hate a wet, draughty house and standing in mud. Before the worst of the weather, give the coop a thorough inspection. Lift the roof and check for leaks, replace damp bedding, and make sure ventilation openings are high and covered so birds get fresh air without a gale blowing across their backs. Move the coop onto slabs, gravel or a raised wooden platform if your ground turns boggy.

Secure the house itself. Lightweight arc coops and plastic houses can lift in strong gusts, so anchor them with ground stakes, guy ropes or heavy weights, and shut pop holes facing away from the prevailing wind. In the run, fit windbreak netting to the exposed sides, leaving the sheltered side open for airflow.

• Store feed in galvanised bins with clip lids rather than sacks on the floor, which attract rats and go mouldy.
• Provide a covered area with a dry floor of woodchip or sand so birds can scratch out of the rain.
• Check drinkers are weighted or hung, and empty and refill them daily so nothing stagnates.
• Keep a spare bale of bedding and a torch in the feed shed, and check the birds' feet for mud balls after wet spells.

Protect Vulnerable Plants and Tidy the Garden

Tall, top-heavy plants are the first casualties. Stake and tie dahlias, gladioli and tall perennials with soft twine, and earth up around the stems for extra stability. Move terracotta pots to a sheltered wall, group them close together and raise them onto pot feet so they do not sit in standing water. Anything you cannot move, such as a prized acer in a heavy container, can be wrapped with hessian and secured with a strap.

Trees deserve a careful look. Check ties and stakes on young trees; if the tie is cutting into the bark, loosen it, and if the tree rocks freely at the base, firm it in and stake it properly. Remove any dead, diseased or rubbing branches now, before wind does it for you. Climbing roses and wall shrubs should have their stems tied in with a figure-of-eight loop so they can flex rather than snap. In the greenhouse, replace broken panes, fit glazing clips and check vents and doors latch securely.

Be Ready for Power Cuts and Fallen Trees

Rural properties often lose electricity first and get it back last, so a little forward planning pays off. Keep a torch, spare batteries and a battery lantern in a known place, and charge phones and power banks when a weather warning is issued. If you rely on an electric pump for water, fill a few containers in advance. Have a supply of candles, matches and a gas or paraffin heater for the greenhouse if you are protecting tender plants.

Keep the chainsaw sharp, the fuel fresh and your safety kit to hand, but never tackle a fallen tree that is resting on power lines or fencing under tension. Note the emergency numbers for your electricity network and keep them somewhere other than a phone screen. Move vehicles away from large trees, park them facing downhill if your lane floods, and clear anything from the yard that could blow about.

A Simple Pre-Storm Routine

When the forecast turns, a twenty-minute sweep around the holding is all it takes. Walk the boundaries, put tools and wheelbarrows away, tie down tarpaulins, bring in hanging baskets and check livestock have dry, secure shelter with feed and water for a couple of days. After the storm passes, check fences, roofs and gutters again, make a note of what failed and deal with it in the next dry spell. Each season you do this, the list gets shorter and your smallholding gets sturdier.