Over the last few weeks, horrendous rainfall, flooding and waterlogging have blighted thousands of homes and gardens across the UK. Although damage to the home has been the higher priority, garden plants will suffer severe problems if the effects of waterlogging are not dealt with.
The extent of the widespread damage has left the gardening community devastated by the effects. Garden and allotment owners can only sit and wait for the water to disappear to see the true extent of the damage.
Few garden plants, apart from willows and those that naturally grow in water, can survive prolonged periods of flooding or waterlogging. The water replaces the air in the soil and, as roots need air to breath, they literally drown, start to rot and then die. As plants need water absorbed by the roots to live, the leaves of affected plants soon show the first signs of the problem, turning yellow, drooping and dropping prematurely. Badly affected plants may then die.
However there is help and support out there for the gardening community. Miracle-Gro has come up with a garden rescue guide.
Miracle-Gro Rescue Guide
There are several things that garden owners can do to help rescue their gardens – both in the short term and more permanently.
Don’t walk on waterlogged soil until it has dried out and is workable, to avoid compacting it and making conditions worse. If you have to walk on it, use a plank of wood, board or invest in a portable path to spread your weight and avoid compacting the soil.
As soon as plants start to come into growth in spring, applying foliar feeds of Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Soluble Plant Food will encourage new root growth and help improve leaf and stem growth.
Feed flowering plants with Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food. We also supply a version for roses and shrubs and ericaceous plants. These will continuously release nutrients into the soil to help build up the strength of plants.
Feeding with Miracle-Gro® Bone Meal Natural Root Builder will help plants produce a new root system.
Thanks to Scotts Miracle Gro for this item, for further information, on full hints, tips and advice on dealing with garden flooding and waterlogging – including what to do in the long term, visit the Miracle-Gro website – www.lovethegarden.com/gardening-growing/flooding-waterlogging