Come again some other day. Who knew we’d be saying that? The last couple of years we’ve been in a drought. This year our soils are saturated, and our rivers, lakes and ponds are overflowing.
2022
I presently have a lush lawn. Not necessarily filled entirely with actual grass but plenty of green weeds too.
May 2024 (same area, different angle)
Flooding isn’t the only problem. The heavy rain is leaching the nutrients out of the soil and leaving many of our annuals in hanging baskets and planters without “food”.
There are a couple of things you can do to help. If they are heavy containers then it’s unlikely you’ll be moving them.
This planter has sat out in the elements for years
If you cannot move them out of the elements easily then your best option is to provide them with a water-soluble fertilizer. I recommend Espoma products but there are plenty more. Their Grow! Formula is an all-purpose food but there’s also Bloom and more. BE SURE TO READ AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! That is a public service announcement ;)
If you can move your hanging baskets and containers out of the heavy rainfall, then do so. Give them a break but still feed them.
Easily moved to a sheltered spot
As for vegetables, you can provide mulch, but they will still need some extra “food”. For tomatoes, as that’s the biggest question the ‘Scoop has received, Espoma Organic Liquid Tomato and Vegetable Food is my recommendation. There are other options too.
In the vegetable garden, dried leaves, grass clippings, pine straw are all great options. Don’t use any dyed wood mulch. I wouldn’t use any type of wood mulch in my vegetable garden.
Another tip for your tomatoes… snip those bottom leaves and non-fruit bearing stems. If there are fruits forming on those lower stems, get them off the soil with mulch or just rip the bandaid off and snip ‘em!
I snipped the bottom stems and have plant tape securing the plants to the cage
It’s better to stop a disease before it starts and that means getting those fruit off the soil. In fact, Gino from Gertens has a great video on staking tomatoes. I might give that a try.
Grab your umbrella or your boat & head out into the garden/pond.
No, not my yard! ;)
Pondering pumping up the floaty,
