For those who enjoy gardening, monsoons are the ideal time of year because you can see your plants soak up the moisture, grow quickly, and bloom in all their magnificence. It's not simply because of the rains, but also because of the dampness in the air and the wonderfully fresh wind which blows all day.
Preparing your garden for the monsoon in advance will not only protect it but will also allow it to thrive. Also, see our advice on the finest veggies to plant during the wet season. To improve your monsoon gardening skills, read these ten suggestions.
1. Starting Seeds Indoors
Starting seeds indoors during the monsoon season helps you to gain a few valuable weeks of initial growing time, as the harsh weather might hinder the growth of your plants. You may start your seeds indoors in containers or trays, and window sills are the best place to put them because they'll get plenty of light.
Not all seeds, however, should be started inside. Cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and other crops thrive well when started indoors. Plants with slower root systems, such as eggplant, peppers, cauliflower, and celery, should be started inside as well. There isn't a hard-and-fast rule about what you can start indoors, though. Your preferences, experience, location, and the plant itself all have a role.
2. Maintain Good Drainage
Waterlogging is a common concern during the rainy season, and it can limit the growth of your plants. If the situation worsens, roots may not be able to breathe and will finally die.
As a result, installing a proper drainage system before the rainy season begins is the best method to keep your plants safe. You can also maintain proper drainage by using grow bags, cocopeat, or other potting mixtures that don't retain water.
3. Install Row Covers For Heavy Rains
Row coverings, also known as garden cloth, are translucent, thin, light materials used to protect crops from harsh weather. Polyester is commonly used, and it does not absorb moisture. It does, however, enable sufficient light and moisture to get through. Row coverings can endure several seasons depending on the quality of the cloth and how it is used.
4. Check Soil Regularly
Heavy rains frequently wash away the healthy layer of soil. As a result, inspecting your soil is another important component in ensuring your plants' success.
Make sure the soil is permeable enough to allow water to seep through without becoming clogged around the roots. The soil should be mixed to loosen it, which will aid in water absorption. If water cannot easily penetrate the plants, moss or algae will grow around them.
5. Mulching Before Monsoons
Mulch protects the soil by acting as a barrier between the rain and the earth before the rainy season starts. Heavy rains have little effect on your plants because the mulch absorbs all of the extra moisture. Once the mulch has absorbed all of the water, it slowly releases it back into the soil. Before the monsoon arrives, spread the mulch 2-3 inches thick. Before mulching your vegetable beds, add organic matter to the soil.
6. Keep Snails Away
The monsoon season brings many good things, but it also brings some unwelcome visitors. Snails are the most dangerous of them all. The use of salt is one of the simplest ways to keep snails away from your plants. Neem leaves and cloves placed around your plants can also help keep them away.
Snails prefer fragile plants, so your developing garden is an ideal feeding spot for them. Because snails are nocturnal creatures, they feed at night. You may not notice the presence of snails in your garden until you witness the harm they cause. When huge, ragged holes appear on leaves, you'll know they're there.
7. Harvest Rainwater
Harvesting rainwater can be enjoyable and add to the beauty of your landscape if you have the necessary space and time. Install wooden barrels or other water-retaining containers to redirect the extra water to an area in your garden.
8. Provide Support To The Taller Plants
Plants frequently break out or fall during the monsoon winds. Installing a support system for them using thick wooden poles that are properly fastened to the ground might help prevent this.
9. Harvest Veggies Regularly
During monsoons, pick vegetables and edible greens as soon as possible because the longer they sit in your garden, the more likely they may be attacked by pests or spoil.
10. Move Pots and Planters
Excessive watering can't be good for plants. Make sure your pots and containers are in the correct position. Move your potted plants to a location where they won't be harmed by heavy rains.
Get yourself prep for this monsoon season.
