Water water everywhere!!

[Bramble Lover]

Just had a trip down to the allotment to discover it all under a foot of water which is hardly surprising considering the weather in Lincs for the past couple of weeks.

Its my first real season so I don't really know how much long term damage it will have done when the waters have subsided?

Peas look ok and tomatoes dont seem too distressed or strawberries but all the new things we have planted such as carrots, parsnips and pumpkins are just swamped.

Also the potatoes are under water...........will anything survive?

I should be gutted but after seeing all the poor people on telly that have had the water in their homes and thousands of pounds of damage, it puts it all in perspective.

[Sebbster]

BL, sorry to hear about your allotment, I had the same experience last night. There is a flood thread under general chit chat if you wish to join that one.

I was gutted too but after the initial shock I was just thankful it's not my house.

As for the Veg I dont know, my best guess will be if mine remains under water for weeks rather than days then the veg will rot, in particular the potatos. If just days then the veg may survive but I dont imagine it will keep as well as it should.

Hope it's better for you soon.

[clareg]

Hi,

I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago here in Lancashire, most of my allotment was under a foot of water too. It took about 1/2 day for the water to drain off. The only thing I have lost are a couple of pumpkin plants that had only been in the ground about a month, the roots seem to have rotted.

Everything else did survive, potatoes, carrots, onion, peas and beans. There doesn't seem to be any long term damage. We had a bit more rain at the weekend and I used a fork to make drain holes in the compacted soil of the pathways, this seemed to drain the water away faster.

Hopefully, if your flood water drains quickly there should be minimum damage.

Clareg

[Bramble Lover]

Thanks for that........might not lose everything then. Me and my daughter had a giggle anyway as we were getting so stuck in the mud having a look round in our wellies. Even managed to pick some peas and off load some bags of compost for one of the new raised borders we built.

Raised borders by the way seem ok compared to rest of land so they obviously have their good points.

[rustylady]

What a shame. The only thing you can do is wait for the water to subside and hope. If it goes down fairly quickly you should still get some good crops.

[Two_Sheds]

It's just started lashing down again here in Norfolk. Will it ever stop? Was that an Ark I saw floating down the high street....

PS. don't walk on wet soil. Compacts it. Bad.

[rustylady]

It's been dry all day today (so far) but it's just gone very dark so unless my clock's packed it in and it's nearly midnight we're due for yet another downpour. I'm growing rice and watercress next year!!

[Snadger]

I bet this time next month we'll all be complaining cos there's a drought!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Sorry to hear your news BL - hopefully it will drain away quickly and your crops will be OK - do let us know how you get on. Bernie

[NIC PIPPIN]

IT'S THE NEW GLASTONBURY ...........lots of rain and mud - we are just a bit more discerning - "us gardeners" are a posh bunch )