If your gardener sends their apologies due to inclement weather conditions, this is not because they are pathetic; your gardener is an outdoorsy person with appropriate clothing but there is good reason for not gardening in the rain.
Look after the soil, and it will look after the plants
At the beginning of this year, I squeaked (by the skin of my teeth), a commendation in the RHS Level 3 exam paper on ‘The root environment, plant nutrition and growing systems’ – i.e. the all-important brown stuff, without which, no life on this planet could be supported.
My awe and respect for the soil increased with each new nugget of knowledge I acquired; about its physical and chemical characteristics, and the vital roles played by the micro and macro organisms contained within it. It’s crucially important that gardeners take good care of their soil, and one of the ways they can do this is by only working and cultivating the soil when it is of a friable, crumbly texture.
Working during, or too soon after rainfall damages the structure of the soil; high water content reduces the soil’s weight-bearing capacity and it can easily become compacted due to collapse of the soil’s pore spaces. Compaction makes it difficult for plant roots to grow and access the air they need for respiration. Compaction also leads to poor drainage, making the waiting time even longer, before cultivation becomes possible.
If the soil is sticking to your boots, caking on to your tools, or can be moulded into a ball, it is too wet to be working it, so find another job to do.
Keep off the grass!
Most people know that you shouldn’t mow wet grass. This is because the mower blades tend to tear at wet blades rather than cutting them cleanly. Wet blades of grass may also be bent over with the with the weight of the water, so the outcome of mowing a wet lawn will at best be a patchy uneven cut. Clumps of wet grass clippings also have a tendency to block the mower.
Walking over wet grass can result in the compaction of the underlying soil. This inhibits healthy grass growth, and generally makes for a muddy, messy and eventually bald, lawn.
What can I do in the rain?
Here are a few suggestions for keeping busy, even when it’s pouring;
Weed the cracks between patio flags and paving stones;
Prune shrubs or dead-head any flowers that are accessible from areas of hard-standing. Look out for and remove any dead branches or limbs that could cause further damage if they were to break off – these can become heavy when wet;
Make sure any grates and drains are free of leaves and other debris;
Clean out and tidy your shed or greenhouse;
Clean and sharpen your tools, and make sure they are stored appropriately and safely;
Elevate pots and containers on bricks or pot feet, to prevent water-logging;
Look out for any areas where water accumulates, on beds, borders and the lawn. Once the soil is dry enough, dig in additional organic matter, to aerate the soil and improve drainage. Water-logged lawns may need hollow-tine aeration;
Turn your compost heap, or move compost from one bay to the next, depending on what type of composting system you use;
Look through your existing seed packets, check the dates, plan what you want to plant next year and order new seeds if necessary. Make yourself a chart or calendar of what to do and when, for when the sowing and growing season starts next year. You can even look into downloading an App to help you with this, if you are so inclined;
Sit down in front of the fire with a cup of tea, and catch up on all your gardening journals and magazines.
I know which one of those sounds most desirable to me!
