Gardening Problems: Too Much Rain can Damage Crops

This summer our weather is wet and the nights are too cool. Summers like this wreck havoc on crops. Plants can get wet feet (too much water near the roots), which stunts the plants growth and production or even kills them. I am seeing a few signs of too much water, one which is pale colored leaves, so its time to start taking preventative measures

Here are a few tips for helping with this problem.

Corrections you can do now

• Put poles in the ground about 1 1/2 deep and buy plastic pipe that you can bend over the rows. I cut the pipe in 3 to 4 foot sections depending on the size of the rows. When you know it’s going to rain cover the rows with clear plastic. (I clamp the plastic in place) I have my gardens set up to be able to do this. It sounds like a lot of work but if it saves your gardens and crops its worth the time.
• If you have a heavy rain forecast and your soil is already saturated put in small hand held trenches to help direct the water or lay down board or rocks to redirect the water. 
• If you have a few more crops to put in consider planting them in containers so that they can be moved in from the rain

Corrections for next years garden

• Add mulch to your soil. The more the soil is aerated the better it will drain
• Use raised beds. Raised beds drain and dry out faster and are easier to add pipe and plastic too
• Prepare your beds so that they can be covered easily. This will also extend your growing season. I have found it deters small pests too.
• Add mulch. You have the benefits of good drainage and more nutrients for the plants.

Signs of too much water for your plants

1. Yellowing leaves
2. Wilting leaves
3. Stunted growth
4. Poor crop production
5. And in worse cases the plants are dying

We started out almost in drought conditions this spring and now we have too much rain and the forecast looks bleak.  More rain is predicted for almost every day. This last weekend we had flash flooding from the roadsides. In summers like this I have learned to be prepared.

Tags: covering crops from too much rain, tips for wet garden seasons, containers gardening, raised bed gardening