1. Stay Off Waterlogged Soil
Avoid unnecessary walking on saturated ground. Wet soil compacts very easily, which reduces airflow and makes conditions even harder on plant roots.
2. Improve Drainage (Gently!)
Use a garden fork to lightly puncture the soil, allowing oxygen to reach the roots. If possible, dig small trenches in your pathways to help move water away. Otherwise, disturb the soil as little as possible while it’s still wet.
3. Trim and Tidy Plants
Remove any damaged, yellowing, or diseased foliage. This helps prevent the spread of fungal issues and allows plants to redirect energy into healthy growth.
4. Add Straw Mulch
Mulch with straw to keep leaves from drooping into the mud. Plant leaves should never sit directly on wet soil—it’s an open invitation for disease.
5. Support Heavy Plants
Stake or tie up plants that are drooping or top-heavy. Rain adds weight, and unsupported plants can easily bend or break.
6. Replenish Lost Nutrients
After prolonged rain, it’s almost guaranteed that nutrients—especially nitrogen—have been leached from the soil. Yellowing leaves are a common sign.
I’ve used blood meal at home with good results. It’s a fast-acting, organic nitrogen source that promotes lush, green growth. If it is leaf growth that you’re after, blood meal / nitrogen will help. Not being aware of that, in my younger days I used blood meal too freely one year on tomatoes. The result was big, gorgeous tomato plants that were of fairy tale proportions (Jack and the Beanstalk), but not a single tomato on any of them. It took me years to put that all together and realize what I had done wrong. * It is not for fruiting or rooting crops. It is for LEAFY crops.
* Remember: a little goes a long way—too much can burn your plants. 1
7. Get Ahead of Pests (Especially Slugs!)
Wet conditions are a paradise for slugs2… unfortunately. Set out traps and consider natural deterrents like crushed eggshells around your plants to help protect them.
Gardeners, this too shall pass. Maybe quicker than we might imagine. And with it, perhaps the best learning experience we’ll ever have. There is no end to learning. Keep it up.
I’d love to hear your suggestions. Please leave them in a comment.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
Footnotes:
- BLOODMEAL:
To apply blood meal (it’s a black powder) to already established plants, use 1 teaspoon per plant, working it into the top 2 inches. Water it in. The water will help activate the nutrients and prevent the attraction of animals.
I take about a cup of blood meal and mix it into a bucket of good, dry soil. Then I add a handful of soil to the plants I want to treat. Try to prevent direct contact with stem and leaves, as it could cause fertilizer burn.
Blood meal is best for leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, kale and cabbage, swiss chard, Asian greens, etc, and nitrogen-loving heavy feeders like corn and squash.
Normally, it’s not recommended for tomatoes, but after a month or record rainfall, my tomatoes had yellow leaves, so I took a chance. Too much may delay fruit production, just so y’know. …..
Blood meal breaks down and washes away, so be prepared to reapply in about 6 weeks.
*Caution: don’t overdo it, too much nitrogen will cause “nitrogen burn”, yellowing or browning leaves. You’ll cause more damage than you’re solving by far. Avoid using it late in the summer, as it promotes new growth – not what you want when plants are trying to prepare for end-of-season. ↩︎ - SLUGS:
Rain creates a perfect damp environment for slugs to thrive and hunt for young plants.
Identifying Slug Damage
Slugs leave behind distinct clues, especially when plants are wet:
Irregular holes: Ragged, chewed edges on leaves and stems.
Slimy trails: Silvery, shiny mucus trails left on foliage or pathways as they move.
Vulnerable plants: Tender new seedlings, hostas, marigolds, and leafy greens are primary targets.
Effective Control Methods
Because rain washes away powdery deterrents like diatomaceous earth, you can rely on these highly effective post-rain tactics:
Board Traps: Place a flat piece of wood or an old tile directly on the soil near your plants or even leaning against the edge or base of your raised bed. Leave it there over night and into the next day. Slugs love to hide under these cool, damp spaces during the day. Simply flip them over in the morning and dispose of them in a pail of soapy water.
Liquid Traps: Slugs are highly attracted to yeast. Fill shallow containers with cheap beer or a mixture of 1 cup flour, 2 cups water, and standard yeast. Sink them so the lip sits even with the soil.
Handpicking: Blech. My least favourite. Go out at dusk or early morning with a flashlight and pluck them off your plants by hand. Drop them into a bucket of soapy water.
Physical Barriers: rough, dry or sharp surfaces like crushed egg shells around the base of each susceptible plant. Slugs cannot traverse these sharp, ‘crunchy’ surfaces. While it may protect the plant, it doesn’t get rid of your slugs unfortunately, so best to use egg shells in addition to a trap idea. ↩︎