When the rain comes – and just keeps coming – what’s a gardener to do? Follow our tips to help you care for and maintain your garden in wet weather.
You know rain is supposed to be a good thing for your garden – but right now you may be feeling that you can have too much of a good thing. Being stuck inside for days on end while your backyard takes a battering from the elements can be frustrating – sure, you’re off the hook from watering and mowing for a while, but what damage is the weather going to do to your precious plants and lawn?
Here’s a plan for what to do before, during and after the wet weather hits to help make sure you have a thriving garden at the end of it.
Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
Plan ahead
Wet weather can put your garden temporarily out of action, but there are ways to make it work for you long after the last drops have fallen. Check out our smart guide to water tanks and invest in the right one so your future self – and your thirstiest plants – will thank you.
To avoid problems with waterlogged soil and root rot, make sure your landscaping plan includes garden drainage. A raised garden bed offers good drainage and protection against erosion and water run-off. You can build your own or choose from a range of ready-made and easy-to-assemble raised garden beds in store.
Protect your patch
Any bare patches in your garden are going to get blasted by the heavy rain. To save your soil from erosion, cover with a layer of coarse
mulch – this
acts as a buffer to absorb moisture, block garden weeds and keep the soil in place.
Heavy rain can also wash away essential nutrients from the soil, so you want to increase its chances of coming out healthy. Add organic matter to nourish your soil – this improves the structure so it drains well in wet weather, holds onto nutrients and retains moisture during dry periods. Apply slow-release garden fertiliser ahead so it gets watered in by the rain.
Garden pots and planters not draining properly? Check for blockages in drainage holes and clear with a stick, then move them undercover if you can to avoid your plants becoming waterlogged.
What’s at stake?
Taller plants are vulnerable in stormy weather, so take the time to stake your plants to support them to stay upright.
If you have fruit that’s ripe for picking, don’t leave it on the plant any longer than you need to. Ripe produce can spoil easily in the wet, and pests are more active, so harvest now and preserve the excess or share with friends and neighbours.
Moisture-loving edible plants include mint, celery, watercress and spinach, but protect delicate potted herbs by moving them undercover.
Be kind to your lawn
You can boost your lawn’s ability to bounce back from heavy rain – ideally, do this before it gets wet. The less compacted the lawn, the easier it will be for nutrients to soak in and for excess water to drain away. Plus, you’ll be less likely to have an army of mushrooms and toadstools sprouting up.
Use a lawn aerator to open up the soil – it’s easier when the lawn isn’t too dry or too wet. Make sure you weed your lawn regularly and apply lawn fertiliser to keep it strong and healthy. Get to know lawn weeds and how to get rid of them, but check the forecast before applying weed killer to avoid diluting it in the next lot of rain.
Try not to walk on your lawn in wet weather or you’ll compact the soil. That means resisting the temptation to mow the grass while it’s still wet – doing this can spread fungal diseases. To access garden beds, use a wooden plank to create a temporary pathway – this helps distribute your weight more evenly to reduce soil compaction.
Tackle those pests
You may not love this weather, but it’s paradise for pests. After it rains, you’ll want to drain any pooled water as soon as possible to avoid mosquitoes breeding. You’ll probably be dealing with abundant slugs and snails, so use organic iron-based pellets or place traps and crushed eggshells around your plants to deter them – as an alternative to the traditional beer trap, try digging in a jar filled with a mixture of Vegemite and water.
Check plants for signs of infection and disease and prune the affected areas along with any damaged parts. Remember to dispose of diseased plant material in your bin, not your compost.
What to do next
Once the weather subsides, it might be a while before you need to pick up the hose or refill your watering can. Test the moisture levels in the soil with a moisture meter or your finger so you know when it’s time to water the garden again.
If your to-do list includes transplanting tasks, get onto them while the soil is still moist and easy to dig – this also reduces the stress on the plant roots. Focus on getting rid of any garden weeds while they’re quicker to pull up from the damp soil and check if your mulch needs to be topped up or raked over.