How to deal with wet soil

Healthy soil leads to healthy plants, so what can you do if extreme conditions leave your earth soaking wet? Here’s how to deal with wet soil on your veg plot…

If you have excessively wet, waterlogged soil on the plot, you can face a number of issues, such as roots rotting and dying off. But is there anything you can do to combat this? The good news is, there absolutely are some simple steps you can take to help optimise your conditions and help keep your crops happy.

First things first, you need to be able to identify the type of soil you have. Thankfully, this is quite easy to do. You can purchase soil testing kits, but it is also possible to learn a lot from simply feeling the soil in your hands – yes, really. Rub it between your fingers and take a close look at the structure. If you try to roll the soil into a sausage shape, does it stay together, or crumble apart? Clay soils will keep their shape, while sandy ones won’t. Sandy soils can get waterlogged, but they are usually freer draining, so waterlogging is more likely to be a problem if you are growing on clay soils.

What next? Waterlogged soils can often get compacted, which leads to slow drainage of water in the soil. The temptation can be to dig, as it feels like you are doing something towards fixing things, but resist the temptation! Not working (or walking, for that matter) on the wet soil is the best thing, as if you do so you will compress the soil further. It is also a good idea to avoid planting when the soil is wet.

With clay soils, it is a good idea to add a good lot of well-rotted organic matter to your garden, as this aids drainage and biological activity within the earth.

Should you drain wet soil?
When looking to install drainage for waterlogging in your soil, it is important to consider where the water will go, and where it is coming from. Is the poor drainage just in a certain area of the garden? Would simply siting beds in a different spot solve the issue?

It is a good idea to research different drainage option methods in relation to the kind of space you have – soakaways, French ditches, redirecting the water, and even piped drainage can all be used (but the latter would probably need a specialist hand), so see what would work for you.

Can raised beds help with wet soil?
One of the simplest options can be to install raised beds in your space. This allows you to have more control over the growing medium, and lifts the plants out of the wet, waterlogged ground. It isn’t impossible for raised beds to experience waterlogging, though, so remember to incorporate gaps for liquid to drain away. Similarly, growing in containers is another great option for giving you greater control over conditions – at the opposite end of the scale, these can dry out rather quickly, so you would need to have a regular watering routine.

Can I still plant crops in wet soil?
It really depends on how wet and waterlogged your soil can become. If you have any problematic areas in your garden, think about what you are planting there. Some crops can withstand extra moisture better than others.

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