Homeowners and gardeners often have a love-hate relationship with the monsoon season in India. Monsoon rains help thirsty plants. However, there is potential for too much rain to cause waterlogging, root rot, fungal damage and even damage the entire plant. In tropical regions, it is not uncommon to have over 100 inches of rainfall in a year and gardens are not designed to withstand excessive rainfall and strong winds. Moreover, waterlogging, reduced sunlight and excessive humidity create an ideal environment for fungal growth which can weaken plants and affect their health.
Thus, the monsoon season bring several challenges to gardeners who need to take extra care of their outdoor plants. Here, we’ve listed some simple tips that you can follow to protect your plants from heavy rain.
Tips To Protect Outdoor Plants From Rain
Avoid Overwatering
It is important not to over-water plants during the rainy season. Water plants only when the soil near the top of the pot feels dry. To help ensure that you do not water-log your plants, all pots should have sufficient drainage holes. This will help to prevent root rot and lower the risk of fungal infections and help your plants grow healthier.
Maintain Soil Quality
Keeping soil quality is critical during heavy rain. Add sand or perlite to keep the soil light and porous to increase drainage and air circulation. Don’t place new seedlings and cuttings in the rainy season. Focus more on taking care of existing plants until the rain stops.
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Mulch Generously
Monsoon rains may wash away topsoil, exposing root systems to the elements. A thick layer of organic mulch (undecayed leaves, shredded bark or straw) can prevent this from occurring. Mulch helps keep the soil in place, retains moisture and protects the delicate root system throughout heavy rainfalls.
Ways to protect plants from excessive rainfall (Image Credits: Canva)
DIY Pest-Repellent Spray
There is a spike in fungal and pest infestations during the monsoon. Use a neem oil and water spray to protect your plants. Regularly remove infected leaves and be diligent in having a clean area surrounding your kitchen plants to keep diseases from spreading and to create a healthy environment for your garden.
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Add Nutrtition To Soil
In a monsoon, heavy rain may wash soil nutrients. Combat this by enriching with cow dung manure, vermicompost or compost tea to keep nutrient levels high. Vermiwash is another option to help strengthen the plants. You generally only need to fertilise once a month to support plant growth and development in the monsoons.
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