GARDENERS! What do I do about a flooded garden?

1. 68

   ThompsonPenposted 11 years ago

   GARDENERS! What do I do about a flooded garden?
   
   I moved into this cute little farm house a few months ago, and held off planting any bulbs for the spring to see how badly it flooded during the winter. It's it bad so far, but it's flooded. Any recommendations?

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2. 0

   lesliebyarsposted 11 years ago

   I don't know the area that you have but, you might try rocks or extra dirt to build up the area.  You might be able to redirect the water from flooding your garden.
   
   I had a gutter that was set up to drain in my front flower bed.  I lost a lot of mulch when it would rain really hard.  I ended a concrete piece that the water would run onto after coming out of the gutter.  Then I bought some  small stones and re-directed the water away from the flower bed and under the sidewalk and just had it drain into the yard.  This worked well for me!
   
   Good luck!!

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   1. 68

      ThompsonPenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks! The problem is that I'm renting, and I don't know how much redirection I can do, especially since I am surrounded by potato and cow fields, so I don't know where to direct too

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   2. 62

      The Examiner-1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Redirect elsewhere in your yard, away from where you plan on gardening.

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   3. 68

      ThompsonPenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have 5 foot ditches on either side of me, that are too flooded, and in fact spilling into my yard The road leading to my house is raised higher than my yard as well

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   4. 62

      The Examiner-1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Where do the ditches come from, the road?

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   5. 68

      ThompsonPenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      They separate the road and yard, but yeah, essentially. I live in a valley as well, which doesn't help. It's a beautiful valley, but known for flooding

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      The Examiner-1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hmm...this may take a while but you may try inserting a low wall for yourself to step over. It could be made of a thin aluminum or even a recycled plastic for low cost. Leave hole at the bottom for drain hole to avoid garden flood. Insert 1" in dirt.

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3. 62

   The Examiner-1posted 11 years ago

   I am not an everyday gardener, but when I used to make flower gardens for my birds I do remember finding low spots and leveling off the dirt before planting.
   You  might try adding dirt to the low spots. Or smoothing it all out with say a 2x4 and laying the 2x4 across to look for low spots. You can also use your hose to check for flooding again.

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4. 50

   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   This will sound weird but it is a kind of truth. Be one with the bulb. Each bulb is unique. If the flooding did not uncover it and expose it to air. Lighten up. Water does not hurt plant life unless extended and prolonged. Bulbs are really cool. Just keep soil over them. Wet is just fine. Bulbs are neato in that they like to hide from conditions. And then they sprout forth beauty. So do minimal drainage and tamp soil around them to prevent air from disturbing their slumber.
   Your bulbs will be just fine, if you give them some affection. I know and I know that sounds strange but it works.

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5. 98

   watergeekposted 11 years ago

   Instead of bulbs, try planting a rain garden with ferns etc, including a stone-lined, natural pool perhaps. Look for wetter areas in your state to see what kinds of plants grow there and find garden hybrids of them. Bulbs could go on higher ground.

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6. 0

   RTalloniposted 11 years ago

   watergeek's suggestion is great, but also consider berms that could be naturalized into the area.  They wouldn't have to necessarily be used to change water flow but worked into side areas so you would have some higher ground to plant bulbs.

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   alancaster149posted 11 years ago

   Depends on the nature or quality of soil you've got. Watergeek's idea is a good idea maybe for when you're rid of the excess water.
   
   Your subsoil might not be absorbent, to let water drain away quickly. A start might be to do a 'grid' walk around your garden and dig a garden fork into the soil, aerating it. It might just be saturated, solid like the drain in your sink.
   
   Walking round with the garden fork might do the trick, Have you any drains in your garden/back yard? Could be they're choked and need checking to free them of obstacles like vegetation. Pull the stuff out and see a contractor about a long-term solution to drainage problems.

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8. 55

   BenRamposted 11 years ago

   You can install custom granite steps. That will help. You just have to make sure that you do the installation properly.
   Check this out http://www.stmgranite.com/services.html. This will help you.

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9. 68

   ThompsonPenposted 11 years ago

   
   
   Just to ad some detail to my flooded garden state, I thought I'd share a picture.  Thank you all for your help so far!
   The flooding area you're seeing is about a foot all around except to the back path, which is only a couple of inches in parts. I took the photo from the road.

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      The Examiner-1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I would suggest hiring a professional to look at it and level off the earth - or move. How did you get to the street, wear hip boots? If the second white building is your garage it must be a pain getting to your car every day.

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      ThompsonPenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      There's a back path behind the tree that's raised. The last three feet of it or so is under-water by a couple inches. The truck is actually behind the bushes on the left.

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10. 64

    cat on a soapboxposted 10 years ago

    Your picture tells me that this area may have served as a parking area where the soil became so heavily compacted that snow melt can't percolate down through it. You could try digging DIY French drains to draw the water away. An easier solution, esp. since you are renting, may be planters raised up on elevated brick platforms or other container gardens.

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