After last years drought, who'd have though that we'd be getting too
much rain this year

My main problem is how can I get any planting done? I've read that
you shouldn't plant if the soil is too wet, but this spring its been
raining at least every other day, and sometimes for days on end. It
may not always rain hard, but its raining often enough and the soil is
just is not drying out. It's been like this the last 6 weeks, and for
at least the next week it looks like the same.

So my question to the ng is..... how can I get my planting in? Should
I be patient, try meditation, and wait until it dries out, or should I
just go ahead and plant when it's not totally sopping wet? I assume
that it will eventually dry out, but that may not happen until we're
into July. It's possible that it will be wet the whole season,
although that would be a rare summer in S.Jersey.

I have some perennials just waiting to move into their new homes, I
haven't done all my vegetable planting, and I'm itching to be outdoors
and working.

Swyck

From:
Date: Sat, Jun 7, 2003 1:28 PM
Message-id:

After last years drought, who'd have though that we'd be getting too
much rain this year

My main problem is how can I get any planting done? I've read that
you shouldn't plant if the soil is too wet, but this spring its been
raining at least every other day, and sometimes for days on end. It
may not always rain hard, but its raining often enough and the soil is
just is not drying out. It's been like this the last 6 weeks, and for
at least the next week it looks like the same.

So my question to the ng is..... how can I get my planting in? Should
I be patient, try meditation, and wait until it dries out, or should I
just go ahead and plant when it's not totally sopping wet? I assume
that it will eventually dry out, but that may not happen until we're
into July. It's possible that it will be wet the whole season,
although that would be a rare summer in S.Jersey.

I have some perennials just waiting to move into their new homes, I
haven't done all my vegetable planting, and I'm itching to be outdoors
and working.

I hear ya, oh do I hear ya. I'm in northern NJ. I've taken to going out in
the rain and doing whatever I can. My beds are quite well-drained, so I
haven't had true muddy conditions, but things are certainly limp and unhappy
(with the exception of shrubs, trees, and grass......all of which needed this
respite from several years of drought or near-drought).

The worst problems for me are annuals and tender perennials I grow from seed,
most of which I start outdoors. I've had less germination, more false starts,
and what does get started seems stunted. I have most of the seed beds and pots
shrouded with tarps or fine mesh screening to keep the torrents from washing
everything away (not to mention the chill night air, only recently getting into
the 50's).

I've given up on some things, among them, sadly, my Heavenly Blue morning
glories and moonflowers. I've tried germinating them in every way possible,
but they balk and refuse to get their first true leaves. Most haven't
germinated. (Other varieties of morning glory are coming up for me, so I'll
have some for the hummingbirds; Heavenly Blue is fussier, for me at least.)

As far as planting in the ground, I believe that the warning against planting
in wet soil reflects the cold post-winter kind of wetness that we're not really
experiencing any more. I've planted many things, perennials, woody plants,
annuals this spring and none of them has succumbed. Even some of the stronger
seedlings that I've managed to produce are surviving in the soil. However, as
I mentioned above, very few (aside from some very mature plants) are putting on
much growth and flower production is certainly taking forever to begin for many
species that would be heavily budded out or blooming by now.

Unless you've got a muddy situation, you should really get those perennials in
the ground. If the area is well-drained enough to accommodate good growth in
average weather conditions, you should be ok. Anything borderline that would
do best in gritty, sandy soil (e.g., lavenders, various herbs, etc.) could be
planted out in pockets of extra-amended gritty mix perhaps on a slightly raised
mound which could get them through at least for a while. I think this would be
better than having them sit with cramped roots in nursery pots.

Of course when and if the rains ease up, we have a nasty prediction of
hurricanes ahead later this season. And gosh, I grow so many tall things.....

Best of luck (to all of us!)
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b

wrote:
After last years drought, who'd have though that we'd be getting too
much rain this year

My main problem is how can I get any planting done? I've read that
you shouldn't plant if the soil is too wet, but this spring its been
raining at least every other day, and sometimes for days on end. It
may not always rain hard, but its raining often enough and the soil is
just is not drying out. It's been like this the last 6 weeks, and for
at least the next week it looks like the same.

So my question to the ng is..... how can I get my planting in? Should
I be patient, try meditation, and wait until it dries out, or should I
just go ahead and plant when it's not totally sopping wet? I assume
that it will eventually dry out, but that may not happen until we're
into July. It's possible that it will be wet the whole season,
although that would be a rare summer in S.Jersey.

I have some perennials just waiting to move into their new homes, I
haven't done all my vegetable planting, and I'm itching to be outdoors
and working.

Swyck

Hi,
Luckily I got my plants in early risking the chance of
frost. I'm sure glad I did or I'd have a barren garden.
If you've already turned the soil, I see no reason not
to put in plants (maybe under an umbrella).

--
Bonnie
NW NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

To avoid compacting the soil (dirt) you can use a couple of planks to plant
off, I have to do this on beds of dahlias I am planting.
Sounds as if you are having some good Welsh weather.the last 4 years we have
had 80 inches of rain a year.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Heat Heat go away!
It's too early in the year to be 80+ degrees around here.
If I wanted to be hot I'd move to Parump.

-paggers

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

On Sat, 07 Jun 2003 15:07:38 -0700, (paghat)
wrote:
Heat Heat go away!
It's too early in the year to be 80+ degrees around here.
If I wanted to be hot I'd move to Parump.

-paggers
Since its usually 80+ around here at this time of the year, and its
wet where you are this time of year (at least I've heard the northwest
is wet a lot), sounds like we've switched weather systems.

I don't really want it too hot, but a sunny 80 would be fine with me
right now. Shouldn't complain about the weather too much -- we'll
probably go right to 95 as soon as it stops raining.

Swyck

On Sat, 07 Jun 2003 15:07:38 -0700, (paghat)
wrote:

Parump.
could that be Pahrump?

They have very few HOA's....:)

The problem is Al Gore cancelled global warming because he lost.
You should have voted for him
Frank

On Sat, 07 Jun 2003 13:28:32 -0400, wrote:

After last years drought, who'd have though that we'd be getting too
much rain this year

My main problem is how can I get any planting done? I've read that
you shouldn't plant if the soil is too wet, but this spring its been
raining at least every other day, and sometimes for days on end. It
may not always rain hard, but its raining often enough and the soil is
just is not drying out. It's been like this the last 6 weeks, and for
at least the next week it looks like the same.
snip

The main problem with wet ground and planting is soil compaction.
Working soaked soil turns it to cement. If you didn't plan to
till/turn over your dirt before planting, and you tread lightly, you
should be able to sneak some plants into the garden.

wrote:

After last years drought, who'd have though that we'd be getting too
much rain this year


Here in New York, We've been doing the traditional Sun Dance, praying for that
shiny thing in the sky to show itself. We've had about two sunny days in the
last three weeks or so. Further back now than I can remember. At least we
haven't had any drought warnings.


Tony Karp, TLC Systems Corp

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