Too Much Rain - What To Do?

karome

We have gotten several inches of rain over the last few days (with even more falling tonight) and it seems that the soil in my raised beds is really really wet. 

I have one pepper plant that seems to have gotten some sort of wilt from the wet since part of the stem has turned brown and the entire plant is now flopping over. 

I don't want the other plants to end up the same way.  

Any idea(s) on what I may be able to do to help the soil dry out?   I would hate to lose all my veggies because we have gotten too much rain.

laddiebug

The weather is out of your control and trying to dry out the soil will more than likely damage your plants that are established already.

karome

Crap.  That is what I thought but just wanted to see if there were some alternatives.

If this rain keeps up, my garden is a goner.   Which is a definite possibility since we are supposed to get more rain next week.  Gah.

~NB~

That doesn't sound right... if the bed is raised, it should be well above the water table, and drain better than the surrounding soil at ground level... why isn't the water draining? You need to find out why the water is getting trapped inside the raised bed. The drainage needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, the rot can't be stopped. You need to remove & destroy those plants immediately.

karome

We have gotten over 5 inches of rain in the last week and all the ground is is just soaked here so I have a feeling that there is no place for the water to go. 

 

katieranck2202

Mom agrees -- WHY is the raised bed not draining?  Is it lined with plastic?  If so poke holes in the bottom and sides to let some of the water out.  Use a long pointed stick if needed to get to the bottom.

another KT

If the ground is saturated underneath the raised bed then the raised bed won't drain.  You don't have to be close to the water table to get the ground saturated with 5 inches of rain in a week especially if the soil has drainage issues.