Excessive rainfall can soak your plants. The soggy environment will attract pests, drown roots, and erode the ground, stripping the soil of vital nutrients that plants need. If you live in a rainy area, here are a few gardening tips to combat the effects of wet weather.
3 Tips for Wet Weather Gardening
1. Keep Plants off the Ground
During continuous rainfall, soil can become anaerobic, as the biological organisms in soil use more oxygen than usual to survive. When this happens, plant roots die because there’s less oxygen for them. Water in anaerobic soil also evaporates slowly, increasing the risk of drowned roots.
Keep plants elevated to prevent them from experiencing the effects of waterlogged soil and anaerobic conditions. Place them in raised beds, window containers, or hanging pots to drain excess moisture.
2. Apply a Layer of Mulch
If you have unpotted plants in the ground, spread mulch over the garden before a rainstorm. This material will absorb the impact of water droplets, protecting the soil from erosion, which can overexpose roots. Mulch also prevents weeds from accessing sunlight so that they die and your plants won’t have to fight for nutrients.
3. Make a Trench
Alter the landscape if poor drainage is a chronic issue in the garden, even during light rainfall. Build the garden on a mound, and dig a trench on one side. Place a drain pipe in the ground to redirect excess rainwater away from the garden. You can have the liquid drain into a small man-made pond or collect it in a bucket for later use.
For more wet weather tips, contact the professionals at Garden Exchange in Hilo, HI. Their knowledgeable team helps Big Island residents cultivate beautiful, healthy yards, and they offer a variety of supplies, including organic fertilizer, hanging baskets, and mulch. View their weekly specials online, or call (808) 961-2875 to ask about a particular gardening product.