I talked with my husband in Ohio and it is still raining, and quite cool. He heard the farmers have only a small fraction of their fields planted with the corn crop. People aren’t able to keep up with the mowing either, although that is a lesser problem.
There are a number of problems for plants in wet, saturated ground. One problem is that roots need air to breathe and will actually drown when unable to dry out a little.
Another situation which arises from too much wet is the sappy growth of the stems and leaves. These can be inviting to insects in this vulnerable condition. Increased susceptibility to disease follows.
Such weather can be a challenge to our gardens on multiple fronts.
Usually we attempt prevention by providing good drainage. Hoping the water will run off, and preserving the general health of the plants is about all that can be done. Otherwise, just watch and wait.
In Ohio, we can still get plants in at this time and they will establish before the midsummer heat. I usually think of the last week in June as the very end of the season for planting annuals and new plants.
When I get back home I will be putting together some container pots for summer color.
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© 2010 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal. An excellent blog.
Lona says
May 18, 2011 at 4:52 pmHi Ilona. It has been just terrible here this spring.I am really worried about getting my vegetables planted out when I cannot get into the bed to even get it tilled up.So I can imagine what our farmers are thinking. And what they had plowed is now growing back with weeds and will have to be plowed again. What corn I have seen here locally that did get planted is standing in rows of water. We may be able to take the rain better if the temperatures were warmer. But two days of the coldest ever recorded in Ohio History during May tells the story. Hopefully it will turn around fast and soon.
Ilona says
May 25, 2011 at 6:50 pmI had been concerned about leaving my spring garden, but it turns out to have been the best decision. We will all have to pick up where we can, and make the best of it, I think.