How Much Rain is too Much?

[SamClemensMT]

I'm just wondering if there is a cut-off point beyond which you really should try and cover your garden.

I figure it can't be much more than a few inches of rainfall.

 

[BPBWessel]

I think that depends on the plants. Some plants can take root in only water, and then be planted into soil later. Probably the most widely known example of this is mint. Just take a bit of stalk, put in water and watch it grow roots! Lavender on the other hand will not usually take root in only water, it needs well draining soil for that (and be of a soft cutting, not woody). So I think the answer to that question depends on the types of plants in your garden, but the Earth will probably take care of it, I've seldom heard of an over-rained garden.

 

[ChanellG]

It definitely depends on the plants. Some plants like boggy conditions, while others barely need any water. If you're worried about your garden receiving too much rain, you can amend the drainage in your yard so the roots won't stay soggy. Some plants are susceptible to root rot so you will have to do a little research.

 

[claudine]

I live on an island surrounded by a big river. The soil here is naturally moist. And it rains often, especially in spring and autumn. Yet, I've never had to cover my garden. All plants here grow fast and healthy

 

[sixxup]

I do fear floods some inches above the ground. If the crops are covered then I think that they will die out. That is why I like to have my garden on raised ground to avoid the effect of too much rain. Like now it's been raining for weeks but it has not affected my garden.

 

[Greenhorn]

I think it has a lot to do with your soil. If your soil drains well or relatively well there shouldn't be a problem. If you had poor draining soil, say a lot of clay then you could end up with the ground saturated past capacity which would be a problem, as the soil's oxygen capacity would be diminished. As far as physical damage. rain itself is not a big issue,it's hail is the primary cause of physical damage.

Also remember to try not a walk or tread on saturated soil that's used for growing, it compacts much more and easier when wet.

 

[dashboardc33]

I think last year my daughter over watered it, and that killed some of the plants. We don't get a lot of rain here so I don't have to worry too much about getting an over abundance of rain. If anything, we don't get enough rain here. It sounds like it would be a pain to cover your garden for rain.

 

[Daren]

I'd rather plant water lilies than cover the hole garden & let the ducks move in But seriously there are Options open to you once you know what your particular plants need. If they are swimming & start to rot because they are succulents or some draught loving hellebore lift them and pot them instead in well drained containers or razed beds. If it is just a few plants that need some cover you could construct something like this in the picture below. The Goal there was Growing tomatoes that need a lot of sun. In warm and rainy days, diseases can appear. So this Guy put up a cover to Protect

 

[IcyBC]

When it rains for more than three days straight, and I don't have to water the plants in the heat of summer, that's when I think we had too much rain, like this past summer that we had here. Some of my plants drown and couldn't grow; some got way out of hand and turned into a big bushy thing.

 

[ts_guest]

Right now I am worried about my cacti and succulents. We are at the tail end of five straight days of rain from El Nino. Everything is super saturated and today we only had about nine minutes of sunshine, which wasn't enough obviously to dry anything out. El Nino is predicted to be a problem up until March or April of this year. The rains have been steady, with brief periods of heavy rain and then sprinkles, but overall it has been way to much in too short a time.

It would be not that much of a problem if it was the middle of summer, but it's January and it's COLD. I only hope my plants can survive this latest weather pattern.

 

[Corzhens]

Some weeks before Christmas, I bought 3 flowering plants in small plastic pots. My husband replanted them in bigger pots for permanent planting intended for indoor decoration. But to acclimatize with the bigger pot, we left the plants outside. It was okay for some days until the steady rains came. I was really shocked to find the flowers withered and later the leaves followed until the 3 plants died obviously from being drenched by the rain.

 

[Greenhorn]

It was okay for some days until the steady rains came. I was really shocked to find the flowers withered and later the leaves followed until the 3 plants died obviously from being drenched by the rain.

It could just have been a drainage problem with the pot.

 

[Vinaya]

Excessive rain is always harmful for most of the plant, including flower, vegetable and cereal. As far as I know, only rice can survive excessive rain. More water is always good for your rice plant.
If you have a small vegetable patch or flower gardening, covering it when it is raining too much can be helpful.