Soon after it was planted in 2019
I wrote a quick ‘Scoop on how our annuals & tomatoes are suffering with torrential downpouring from above, however, there are more issues in our landscapes.
As mentioned in Rain, Rain, Go Away, your potted plants/hanging baskets and even raised vegetable beds are likely being leached of nutrients so it’s important to give them a boost. If you missed it, click on the link.
The Minnesota Horticultural Society, of which I am a member, shares more expert information on what’s happening now and what will happen as we may be dealing with more pests and plant diseases in the coming weeks. First, GET OFF THE LAWN! They mention not rolling your wagon or wheelbarrow on the lawn.
This is from an article I wrote some years ago:
Flooding can literally drown your lawn. Air gaps that normally provide breathing room are filled with water. Grass roots die if they go without air for too long. Wet conditions also encourage fungus that can create dieback, damage and even kill your plants. We tend to forget that grass is a lot of small plants! If your lawn has sustained flooding, the most important thing is to avoid any traffic in the affected area. Too much traffic will create structural damage to your lawn, creating compacted soil that’s very difficult to repair. Before you attempt to tackle your lawn issues, make sure the soil has dried out sufficiently. You may need to reseed or even resod if you can.
For planters that can’t be moved into sheltered areas and your vegetable gardens, cover them with a sloping row cover of fabric or even buckets. The Horticultural Society recommends practicing no-till gardening and consider planting groundcovers such as sedum (there are a number of low growing varieties) and creeping phlox in bare areas. After the storms are over, your lawn will likely need a nitrogen boost. Talk with the Lawn & Garden experts at Gertens and check out their JRK brand of lawn products.
Capture the rain and use it! Rain barrels are essential for the ‘Scoop. I don’t drink milk but know people who do, and they love to give me their gallon jugs! I fill them up and use them all winter for my houseplants too.
This is a particularly nice system especially this year (2024)
My set up is more modest!
And then there are rain gardens. I have one that the City put in when they redid my street. Much of the water runs into the rain garden before going into the storm drain. You can see where the curb is cut down to allow the rainwater to flow in.
6-19-24
Soon after it was planted in 2019
Rain gardens can be much smaller and do not have to be along the street. Here’s an article on How to Build a Rain Garden. Because the City I live in offered to do it for free since the street was being redone, I took advantage of it. Not realizing how huge and deep it would be! Anyway, I’m happy they have that program. Check with your City’s street department.
And then there are the pests & disease that will come along following all this rain. You can get a head start by removing dead or diseased stems to create air flow. That’s going to be very important. You can check out this Garden Bite on dormant pruning, however, damaged areas can and should be pruned at any time. Notably, make sure your tools are sharp and cut at an angle. Any questions, talk to the Tree Folks at Gertens.
The Horticulture Society also recommends planting pest-resistant plants. Take a peek at these “companion trap plants” for your vegetable garden.
There is ONE caveat. Playing in the mud is fun and healthy! Check out this Garden Bite.
