My pathetic garden.........

[CathyA]

I've been gardening for about 40 years and I've never had this problem before. It's such a disappointment. We have dug some trenches...one of which is about 3' long and 20" deep and it is overflowing too. We're considering putting in a big drain for next year......since I'm a bit worried that this might be the new normal...??

The beans on the trellises on the right should have grown full and all the way to the top already. The tomatoes aren't doing much of anything, except getting septoria leaf rot in this weather.

I'm just fortunate that I also have several raised stock tanks that I'm using too.

The first pic is of the.........well........the swamp.
The other 3 are of stock tanks with tomatoes, peppers, beans. I think I might go to mostly all stock tanks next year.

Isn't it weird how some of the country is begging for rain, and we can't get it to stop?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/Garden%20-%202015-1_1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/Garden%202015-2.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/Garden%202015-3.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/Romano%20beans%20in%20stock%20tank%207-9-15.jpg

[sweetana3]

We got over 4.5 inches of rain in one day and that is the normal for the month. Thankfully our lot drains really well and an hour later the 3 inch deep patio lake was gone.

[Float On]

I was feeling really guilty for not gardening....and then the last two weeks happened and we've had lots of flooding. Everything would of rotted in the ground so I'm over feeling guilty.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi Cathy, your stock tanks look good...do they have drainage holes on the bottom? We have been having quite a lot of rain this month, here in NW NJ ,and part of last month and very little sunshine. I am glad we didn't install raised beds and a garden this year since it would just be swimming in water too.

Hope this will not be a repeat performance every year now....

[CathyA]

If we could only see into the future..........

Tussiemussies......I use the Behlen Country food-grade stock tanks. I read up on the metal ones, and it seems like they can leach zinc.....so hopefully I made the right choice. Yes, I drill some 3/4-1" holes in the bottoms, and then cover those holes with some 1/2" hardware cloth......to keep out mice.

When it doesn't rain much (in past years), I do need to water them often.....but this year with so much rain, they drain really quickly, which is good. When I put them on 2 blocks high, they are at waist level.....which is great for no bending over. I've been trying a couple in the garden with just 1 block high, and it still works well, especially with taller plants like tomatoes/peppers.

I've wanted raised beds for a long time (and I mean REALLY raised)........and this seemed like the most reasonable thing to do. I'll need to add more soil and stir them up every spring, but so far, so good! I use a thick, wide board between the stock tanks and the cement blocks, to better distribute the weight. I think the stock tank places must know me by my first name now. hahaha I use big Rubbermaid stock tanks for my water gardens too. I told DH we should call our place "Land of a thousand stock tanks." :~)

[catherine]

Can you hardscape your garden in away that it can divert water when it gets too heavy? I know next year will probably be a drought, so you can never plan for the RIGHT contingency, but still..

When I put in my zen herb garden, because it sits in a spot that tends to pool when it rains, I built up the side with the herbs and plantings, and then created an "escape route" for water that might overflow, so excess water now pools into a lower-lying area of the garden--I planted watercress there.

[CathyA]

Hi catherine.........I think we'll probably put in a drain at the lower end. I'll try to add more soil to the higher end. But I'm really getting into the raised stock tanks. I just have more and more trouble leaning over.........my stomach ends up in my chest and my brains get squeezed into my ears. :~)

[catherine]

Hi catherine.........I think we'll probably put in a drain at the lower end. I'll try to add more soil to the higher end. But I'm really getting into the raised stock tanks. I just have more and more trouble leaning over.........my stomach ends up in my chest and my brains get squeezed into my ears. :~)

I agree that those stock tanks are a great idea!

[Tussiemussies]

I agree too, the stock tanks sound like a good idea for you and all of the plants you had in them seem to be doing really good. I hope when I get my garden in next year the we won't have problems with mice. It's enough to worry about the deer, bears and chipmunks.....

[CathyA]

Tussie..........Will you have a good fence? Our fence is only 4' high and deer can jump much higher, but I think the fact that I have so many trellises in there, keeps them from jumping in.
I'm glad we don't have bears to deal with too!
For the couple of last years, I've had a problem with mice living in the ground in the garden, and they would come up and chew off plants. Wasn't much I could do about them, except hope that the stray cats around here would jump into the garden and deal with them.
Good luck next year!

[Birdie]

While I can't relate to your flooded garden, I do feel for you.

I live in drought ridden CA and am struggling to just water my vegetables enough. I have raised beds which dry out quicker, though I have spend a decade adding compost and growing cover crop to add to the soil every winter. I heavily mulch with 4 - 6 inches of straw to help retain the moisture, but my garden is not as happy as previous years when I was less concerned with the amount of water it got.

It is strange how our weather is so different. We never get any rain in the summer, and didn't get much last winter either.