Will my veg rot if they are growing on mounds between 10-20cm above standing water?

[Samuel1988]

Morning all,

I went down to the allotment and found that, as I was told by other people on the allotment, that the back end of my allotment was flooded. In anticipation of this, I mounded up all growing areas so that the water is sitting between 10-20cm below the surface area of where I am growing stuff.

I was wondering, as I did not get round to finishing off my drainage ditch, that will my crops rot even if they are sitting just above the standing water?

I have spinach, kale, carrots and beetroot growing in these mounds so I would assume that root crops would be more susceptible to rot than others?

I feel so sorry for the couple next to me who have their garlic swimming underneath water!

Many thanks,

Samuel

[Mikey]

Personally I would lift your carrots and beetroot now anyway, and either bag them in damp sand or make a clamp where there isn't any standing water. Your kale may still suffer as the roots will be in the standing water. Time will tell.

Long term solutions if this is a yearly issue is to look at making soakaways to remove the excess moisture in various spots around the plot. Taking photographs of where the water sits most is helpful. You can create a soakaway either by digging out areas and filling with rubble or you can get special cages called SUDS which maximise the void space. Alternatively you could go the other way and create raised beds so that in future your veg sits a good 300-450mm above ground level.