Wet Wet Wet

[George]

hello all
We were doing really well with our new lotty last year, until the rains came, we were washed out, spuds rotted, runners never had the chance to walk let alone run. The ground was sodden and weeds ran amok.
My enthusiasm took a bashing.
It seems that our patch is the lowest lying on the field. I am not expecting anything like the rain last year, but how can we best manage it?
What veggies don't mind getting their feet wet for a prolonged time?
What veggies (apart from runners ) do mind a soaking?
Would raised borders in the worst parts of the patch help?

regards

[George]

[Palustris]

Hard when that spoils your first year.
You could try digging a drainage ditch along the HIGHest border of your patch. Sounds stupid, but the idea is to STOP the water draining into you land.
Then there is always the possibility of raised beds (lots of info on them in here).
Sadly no veg like waterlogging, except perhaps water chestnuts!
Drainage is the answer or drought.

[Lauren S]

Hello George and welcome to A4A.
Sorry to hear you had too much water on your site. Let's hope this will be a great season for you.
I'm only a beginner on the lottie scene so I don't feel qualified to comment. I can only say from my own experiences at home here with raised borders I didn't seem to have the puddles like in my neighbours *Open Garden* scheme. (If that makes any sense)  ::)

Lauren  :)

[bupster]

Drainage ditches and raised beds might do the trick. Also if you can add organic matter that should make the soil more free-draining.

[manicscousers]

hiya, george, what a rotten start,
we took over part of the plots no-one wanted, waterlogged for 3 months of the year..we've gradually built up all our beds, some are over 12" high now..we still get a lake at the side of the worst but managed to grow lots last year, our fruit trees are on the highest point, raised and in a trye full of compost, we have mainly dwarf varieties, we got about 8 lbs of cherries from our Stella cherry last year
we put card on the bottom as there was marestail and marsh grass growing, covered that with leaf mould, grass clippings, well rotted muck and all the soil from the paths between..lots of hard work but we now have a productive plot  ;D

[saddad]

Skirret is known as Marsh Parsnip...
On the plus side you'll need less watering in drier years..
;D

[George]

Thanks all, raised beds it might be then, SadadI like an optimist  ;)