The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
THE GINGER GAIRDNER
Tending to your garden after lashings of rain can present some muddy but very important issues
That was some amount of rain that hit our area the other week. Of course, there are more significant concerns when we’re on the receiving end of such weather, with the risk of flooding and the resulting danger to life and property. But in the garden, it presents us with possibly our most major challenge over the winter months: gardening in wet weather.
Gardening in the rain can be pretty miserable, so in most cases, we’ll simply choose not to bother and save going outdoors for another day.
At the moment, it just seems to be constantly wet. Even if there is a day we’re spared a downpour, the damage is already done as the ground is too wet for us to work on it.
But although we’re at the time of year where plant growth has slowed right down, life in the garden still goes on. It won’t just wait until the next nice day for us to do the many jobs that still have to be done at this time of year.
We need to get those dahlias lifted, or the winter wet could rot the tubers and we’ll lose them all.
We’re also getting towards the end of the bulb-planting season.
I’ve got a few hundred tulips needing planted – and if I don’t get them in the ground soon, it’s going to be too late. I’ll be gutted if the spring display in my garden doesn’t feature tulips, and I’m breaking out in a sweat thinking about the money I’ll be wasting.
It’s alright saying: “Just get on with it,” but we need to be careful and not damage the soil. If you work on wet soil, you can do more harm than good.
Treading on wet soil can cause compaction, making it difficult to work with. Oxygen is squeezed out of the soil, harming the plant roots. Compacted soil then becomes brickhard, and further rain will run off, causing flooding issues. Water will be unable to penetrate that solid layer, denying roots a drink when they desperately need it.
Standing and working off a board can be a help. This spreads your weight across the soil, and not just at the narrow point of the bottom of your boot.
Watch out how you make your way around your garden, too.
Similar compaction problems can occur if you regularly take the same route over
your lawn.
This can potentially cause drainage issues, and the grass will wear away so much quicker when wet, leaving an unsightly, muddy track.
Maybe this is a clue that a permanent path is required – another nice wee job to do over the winter.
The smart folk among us will be saving up all the indoor jobs for these rainy days.
This is where a shed or glasshouse comes in really handy. If your glasshouse is anything like mine, it will probably be needing a good clean out by now.
For the last few weeks, mine has been packed full of gladioli and dahlias, drying off as part of the process of getting them ready for winter storage.
When brushing off the remaining soil, as hard as I tried to keep this in the wheelbarrow, I still managed to make a mess. I must get this cleaned up, along with the pile of pots that are gathering up in the corner.
Winter is also a good time for assessing the condition of your tools.
Hoes, spades, shears... All will benefit from a good clean, oil and sharpen, getting them in perfect condition for when they are needed again next spring.
Labels can be reused again next year too, so no need to be wasteful by throwing
them out. I always write on them in pencil, so taking time to rub them clean just now means this job won’t slow me up come seed-sowing time.
Once that’s all sorted, you have a choice to either wash down your glasshouse now, if you have one, or leave it until later.
I prefer waiting.
If it stays this damp for the rest of the winter, there’s no doubt there will be as many dirt splashes and green mould needing cleaned off again.
Then again, if this wet weather keeps up, it may be best to get it ticked off the list, as there will be other jobs waiting.
The life of a gardener keeps you on your toes!
One last thing to think about in the winter wet is the plants you have growing in containers.
If you can’t get them under cover, the next best thing is to ensure they are sitting on the wee feet you can get for pots.
This will ensure that the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot are clear and any excess
water can drain away.