So what are you doing in the garden with all of this rain? It doesn’t have to be doom and gloom.
I haven’t lived here that long ( going on 8 years) but I have learned that we need the rain. However it comes, however much we get, we NEED IT ALL! Because in a few short months we will be gasping dry dirt and complaining about the drought.
So here’s a short list of what I’ve been doing in my garden:
Inspecting. Lifting leaves off the ground and looking for mildew. Trimming up plants that are limp with too much water.
You get a free percolation test. This is where a home inspector or a real estate agent digs a hole in your property and fills it with water and watches to see how quickly (or not) the water is absorbed by the ground. Start looking for squishy patches in your yard. Look for standing water, look for erosion, and start a plan to correct it sooner rather than later.
Journal. First entry… pre-emergent. I forget this every year and by May my back is killing me from digging weeds that could have been prevented. (Ouch!!)
Second entry…. soil test. Kinda like a dentist visit, you don’t feel like you have to go but once you do you realize you should have done it earlier. Get your soil tested when it dries out a little..ok a lot. Call you extension office with any questions and I believe they have sample bags.
Guys it’s a great time to transplant. Always try to transplant on a cloudy day or in the rain. Plants are more receptive to this environment than dug up in the heat of the day! I just moved three Althenas to a large container and not a wilted leaf; I did it in the rain.
It’s a great time to divide your hostas!
And last but certainly not least consider a water barrel(s) to capture water for use in feeding that fabulous garden you have created. Water is a precious resource and we must be respectful and use it wisely.
Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.
— May Sarton