Plants for a Purpose: wet and soggy soil
A waterlogging situation needn't be a sorry situation if you know how to treat the area and pick the right plants to grow
Well, we’ve had enough soggy soil in the past few months to last us a lifetime. But, setting aside this winter’s floods, many gardens have areas that are wet and waterlogged even in a normal winter – and even in summer! So it pays to think about how we can make waterlogged areas more suitable for more plants and which plants will grow nowhere else.
● Investigating and dealing with problems such as blocked drains and leaky ponds will quickly solve the problem in some gardens. Compaction can be dealt with in a number of ways.
● Forking over the soil and breaking it up is the obvious approach but, in new gardens where heavy machinery has compacted the soil, you may need to loosen the soil to below the depth of a digging spade or fork – this is the double digging that was so popular 50 years ago but for which few gardeners now have the energy or the inclination.
● Working in organic ma er after digging will improve the situation, but although it’s sometimes suggested that mixing sharp sand into waterlogged soil will help, it’s usually a waste of time as huge amounts of sand are needed to make any difference.
● More localised compaction on lawns often takes place when you regularly walk the same route. This compaction can impede drainage more widely so consider pu ing in a gravel, paved or decking path.
● Sometimes, however, the only answer is to build raised beds (see panel above). Lifting the soil level, and filling in with a well-drained soil mix, gives the best of both worlds: a reservoir of moisture low down and good soil for growing on top.
My choice of plants are ones that need, enjoy or will grow well in wet soil. These are usually plants that grow naturally along streams or rivers, or in bogs and other wet places. It includes trees, shrubs, climbers, perennials and annuals but remember the usual preferences of sun or shade still apply.