Container garden becoming Water garden!!
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2005
by PlantFaerie on May 14, 2005 06:17 PM
Someone help! I've been besieged by storms for the past couple of days and while I've done my best to ensure drainage of excess water I think my potted plants are turning into miniture water gardens! I've moved them under what little covering I have. During the days it gets to about 80 degrees F lately but around 4 or 5pm a storm hits and we're given a deluge of water. This has been going on for...about 3 days now and I noticed today that some of the blooms on my roses (though my geraniums were fine) were extremely brown and wilted, is this a sign of too much water in the soil or is it the sun baking my poor little minis?
by Longy on May 14, 2005 06:57 PM
I doubt it's the sun. Probably waterlogging. Is the soil continually wet? If so, try lifting the containers off the ground so the water can escape. Even if there are plent of drainage holes they may not drain if sitting on the ground. Try a couple of bricks underneath. Early in the season for storms isn't it???
Also, if you think the drainage is fine, and it's mainly only the roses which are suffering, i'd reckon that they have a problem from the air being too moist. i don't grow roses but i know they're susceptible to fungus and blackspot and other wet weather problems. They are a non tropical plant, thought there are varieties that have been bred which can handle high humidity better. Are they the only plants which are suffering?
Also, if you think the drainage is fine, and it's mainly only the roses which are suffering, i'd reckon that they have a problem from the air being too moist. i don't grow roses but i know they're susceptible to fungus and blackspot and other wet weather problems. They are a non tropical plant, thought there are varieties that have been bred which can handle high humidity better. Are they the only plants which are suffering?
by PlantFaerie on May 15, 2005 01:19 AM
Longy,
My catnip was suffering and so was some of the leaves on my tulip, I took a look after I posted and re-arranged some things, dumped out some water from the drainage collectors on the pots (I tend to leave them on if I'm not going to be home to add a little moisture to the pots)and then today added some more soil in the washed out places and they seem to be doing much better with what little sun we're getting today. I'm thinking they were just over-watered due to the rain. We generally get storms this time of year in Indiana, but in the past few days we've had just torrents of rain comming down and I didn't have any cover to keep the rain from just drowning my plants, thanks for your help!
My catnip was suffering and so was some of the leaves on my tulip, I took a look after I posted and re-arranged some things, dumped out some water from the drainage collectors on the pots (I tend to leave them on if I'm not going to be home to add a little moisture to the pots)and then today added some more soil in the washed out places and they seem to be doing much better with what little sun we're getting today. I'm thinking they were just over-watered due to the rain. We generally get storms this time of year in Indiana, but in the past few days we've had just torrents of rain comming down and I didn't have any cover to keep the rain from just drowning my plants, thanks for your help!
by JV on May 15, 2005 07:24 AM
Plant fairie ![[wayey]](im/graemlins/wavey.gif)
something else to consider with that much rain and temps that high could be getting steamed from all the water. I know it does that here in Texas we have also had lots of rain so when temps get in the upper 80's and 90's just like being in a sauna. My garden has water standing about 3" down because of clay soil. Just something to think on.
Jimmy
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Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says.
Keep it organic
GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.
Pray for our Troops!
something else to consider with that much rain and temps that high could be getting steamed from all the water. I know it does that here in Texas we have also had lots of rain so when temps get in the upper 80's and 90's just like being in a sauna. My garden has water standing about 3" down because of clay soil. Just something to think on.Jimmy
* * * *
Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says.
Keep it organic
GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.
Pray for our Troops!
by Longy on May 15, 2005 07:25 AM
dumped out some water from the drainage collectors on the pots (I tend to leave them on if I'm not going to be home to add a little moisture to the pots
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those saucers are only there to stop the water running all over the place. They shouldn't have water in them all the time or they can help cause rootrot. If you lift your containers up onto pebbles or something so the pot isn't in the water you'll reduce the problem but it's good to keep those saucers dry anyway cause they are a place for mozzies to breed.
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those saucers are only there to stop the water running all over the place. They shouldn't have water in them all the time or they can help cause rootrot. If you lift your containers up onto pebbles or something so the pot isn't in the water you'll reduce the problem but it's good to keep those saucers dry anyway cause they are a place for mozzies to breed.
by PlantFaerie on May 15, 2005 08:12 AM
Longy,
I actually put ricks in the bottom of my planters and usually I don't let there be a lot of water just enough that in normal weather if I forget to water them or if I go out of town unexpectedly they won't suffer. It's something that has worked well for me in the past without causing root rot.
JV,
I sympathize with the clay soil bit. The house where I grew up had a lot of red clay in the soil so if it got wet (or if the hose leeked in the cellar) you were destined to lose at least a shoe to the clay!
On a better not today stayed dry after about 3 or 4 pm so my plants had the chance to dry out a bit! Poor things!![[thumb]](im/graemlins/thumb.gif)
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Colonel Jack O'Neill "I ask you, what could possibly be in my eye that could explain all this? "
I actually put ricks in the bottom of my planters and usually I don't let there be a lot of water just enough that in normal weather if I forget to water them or if I go out of town unexpectedly they won't suffer. It's something that has worked well for me in the past without causing root rot.
JV,
I sympathize with the clay soil bit. The house where I grew up had a lot of red clay in the soil so if it got wet (or if the hose leeked in the cellar) you were destined to lose at least a shoe to the clay!
On a better not today stayed dry after about 3 or 4 pm so my plants had the chance to dry out a bit! Poor things!
* * * *
Colonel Jack O'Neill "I ask you, what could possibly be in my eye that could explain all this? "
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