What to Do When It Won’t Stop Raining: 6 Gardening Tips for Excessive Rain

Rain is a gardener’s friend, but when it seems like it won’t stop raining, it can quickly become a challenge. Excessive rainfall can saturate your garden, water-log the soil, and harm plants, in the short term. However, with the right strategies, you can manage these conditions and even turn them into an opportunity for your garden’s growth.

In this guide, we’ll explore gardening tips to protect your plants and maintain your garden’s productivity during excessive rain.

The Impact of Excessive Rain on Your Garden

Too much rain can have several effects on your garden:

• Waterlogged soil: When soil becomes saturated, oxygen can’t reach plant roots, which may slow down plant growth and weaken the plants.

• Nutrient loss: Heavy rainfall can wash away valuable nutrients from the soil, leaving your plants undernourished.

• Soil compaction: Prolonged rain can cause soil particles to compact, reducing the soil’s ability to drain water effectively.

• Increased susceptibility to disease: Wet conditions can lead to fungal diseases and make your plants more vulnerable to pests.

Fortunately, with the right adjustments to your garden, you can protect your plants from excessive rain and help them recover after the storm.

Gardening Tips for Protecting Your Plants from Excessive Rain

1. Improve Drainage in Your Garden

The most important step to take before the rains arrive is to ensure that your garden drains properly. Without proper drainage, water can pool around plant roots and turn your garden into a mud wallow.

How to do it:

• Raised beds: Elevated garden beds keep your plants out of the saturated ground, improving drainage and helping avoid waterlogging.

• Install drainage channels: Dig shallow trenches or create natural drainage channels to direct excess water away from your plants. These channels can prevent water from pooling in low areas of your garden.

• Amend your soil: Improving your soil structure can help with drainage. Adding organic matter such as compost or leaf mulch can increase the soil’s ability to absorb and manage water.

2. Use Mulch to Protect the Soil from Excessive Rain

Mulch is one of the best defenses for your garden in wet conditions. A good layer of mulch protects soil structure, prevents erosion, and keeps soil from compacting under heavy rain. Mulch is also a fantastic soil builder, once it breaks down it will turn into soil. This process increases your soil organic matter, which in turn increases the water holding capacity of your soil. This means that later on when the rain passes and it gets dry, you have a moisture sponge waiting to release right when you plants need it.

How to do it:

• Apply 5-9cm (2-4 inches) of mulch: Use organic mulch like shredded leaves or straw around your plants. Mulch helps absorb excess water and keeps the soil from becoming too compacted by rain.

• Mulch your vegetable garden: In vegetable gardens, mulch prevents soil splashing onto your plants, which can introduce fungal spores and other contaminants.

By applying mulch, you create a protective layer that shields the soil from rain while keeping moisture levels balanced.

3. Harvest Rainwater for Future Use

While too much rain can be a problem, it’s also an opportunity to collect rainwater for drier periods. Harvesting rainwater is an efficient way to ensure that your garden has a water source when the weather turns dry.

How to do it:

• Install rain barrels: Place rain barrels under your gutters or near areas that collect runoff. These can store water for use during dry spells or when your garden needs a light watering.

• Use rainwater wisely: Store this excess water for future use, especially in drier seasons. Water your garden during early mornings or late afternoons to minimise evaporation.

Rainwater harvesting not only reduces water wastage but also provides a sustainable solution for future dry spells.

4. Amend Soil With Compost to Restore Nutrients

Heavy rains can wash away essential nutrients that your plants need to grow. After the rains, it’s essential to replenish the soil’s nutrients so your plants can bounce back.

How to do it:

• Top-dress with compost: After the rain subsides, apply a layer of nutrient-rich compost around the base of your plants. This will replenish nutrients and improve soil structure.

• Add worm castings: Worm castings are another excellent option for restoring soil health. They are packed with essential nutrients and improve the soil’s ability to retain moisture.

By feeding your soil after heavy rainfall, you ensure that your plants have the nutrients they need to recover and continue growing strong.

5. Install Temporary Covers for Vulnerable Plants

Some plants, especially young seedlings or delicate crops, can be more vulnerable to excessive rain. To protect them, you can use temporary covers.

How to do it:

• Use row covers: Lightweight row covers can be placed over young plants to protect them from direct exposure to heavy rain. These covers still allow light and air to pass through while shielding the plants.

• Use garden cloches: Individual cloches can be placed over particularly vulnerable plants to protect them from excess rain. Cloches create a microenvironment that reduces the risk of plants being waterlogged.

Protecting delicate plants with covers ensures they continue growing without being damaged by heavy rain.

6. Maintain Healthy Soil Structure to Prevent Compaction

Soil compaction is a significant concern during periods of excessive rain. When soil becomes compacted, it can lose its ability to drain water effectively, leading to poor plant health.

How to do it:

• Avoid working and walking on wet soil: Walking on or working with waterlogged soil can cause it to compact. Instead, try to stay on designated paths or use stepping stones in the garden. Better yet, wait for a dry day and allow your soil to drain away any excess moisture before working in your garden.

• Use organic matter: Adding organic materials like compost or well-rotted manure can help keep the soil loose and prevent compaction. This improves aeration and allows roots to breathe, even during wet periods.

Maintaining loose, well-aerated soil is key to ensuring that your plants’ roots have access to oxygen and water, especially in wet conditions.

Managing Your Garden in the Rain

Excessive rain doesn’t have to mean the end of your garden’s productivity. By focusing on improving drainage, adding mulch, harvesting rainwater, and maintaining healthy soil, you can protect your plants from waterlogged conditions and give them the best chance to thrive. At Harvest Envy, we believe that with the right strategies, any gardener can overcome the challenges of wet weather and enjoy a productive, healthy garden year-round.