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Water, Water,
Everywhere
1
May 2004
 You
must have noticed that it never rains when you
need it and buckets down at the worst possible
time. If I had a pound for every time I’ve
heard the plea “why can’t it rain
at night”? I could buy a roof for the
garden.
The trouble is we and our plants need rain.
Soils are contrary. My ground can go from soggy
wet to bone dry in a very short time. After
a dry period of about one week cracks appear
wide enough to be scary and always close to
a choice plant’s roots.
 The
ideal soil for a wide range of plants is free
draining yet moisture retentive. It sounds odd
but the ground should remain moist without becoming
waterlogged. There are plants to suit every
type of soil. Very wet soils are ideal for shrubs
such as the red stemmed dogwood and cranberry.
Dry, free draining sandy ground will suit lavender
and many of the herbs.
It is possible to improve a heavy soil by adding
lots of grit, coarse sand and
compost.These open up the soil separating the
clay particles and allow water to move through
and drain away. By incorporating peat, old farmyard
manure, or compost into a light, sandy soil
the ground will be able to hold water for longer.
Dishing the surface of the ground around newly
planted shrubs and trees will help collect and
hold rain water in the area of the plants roots.
Regular watering during periods when there is
little or no rain will help plants. It is worse
than useless damping the surface of the ground.
Providing there isn’t a hose pipe ban
leave it running and then check how far it has
penetrated into the top layer. Water applied
early in the morning or in the evening will
be less likely to evaporate on a warm, sunny
day.
A mulch of bark or gravel will help to retain
moisture and prevent evaporation. It should
be applied early in the season before the soil
dries out. If dry ground is mulched it will
remain dry with rain running off rather than
into the soil.
If all else fails and it is a wet season build
a boat or make a bog garden!
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