Soaking Wet Rain Solutions

When dark clouds roll in and lightning strikes, you know it’s only a matter of time until you get showered with heavy rain. While spring (and summer) showers are a nice refresher for your lawn, trees and other plants (and they give the water bills a break!), Mother Nature doesn’t always know when to stop. Your garden needs protection!

Prevent your plants from drowning by planting in containers, especially if you have areas of your landscape that tend to accumulate puddles of water after a heavy rainfall. Then, you will be better prepared for downpours. It’s as simple as having a dry spot ready to move your containers – under an overhang, a porch, or even inside on a window sill. If you choose to keep your containers outside, make sure there are large enough holes on the bottom of the container to allow for proper drainage.

Be on the lookout for areas that require damage control. Start by surveying your property to look for injured plants. If you find leaning stems, stake them. Exposed roots should be covered with soil. Plus, you’ll want to empty any pots, saucers and containers holding excess water.

In the week following heavy rain, keep an eye out for potential threats to plants. Weeds as well as fungal and bacterial diseases can quickly emerge; not to mention water runoff can wash away valuable nutrients.

Want to capture Mother’s Nature’s unstoppable rainfall and use it to your advantage? Our Garden Center sells rain barrels to catch water in your downspouts. As you can see in the photo above, we have several varieties to choose from. Rain barrels are an excellent backup water source during times of drought. Bonus: rainwater is naturally soft and chemical free unlike tap water. Stop by to pick up a rain barrel or two.

So the next time the sky begins to rumble, you’ll be ready.