Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

April 18, 2003

Master Gardeners have been trying for over a month to prepare the beds at the West End Park demonstration gardens for planting. Wet weather has hampered efforts delaying tilling and planting for the spring. Many throughout the county suffer the same circumstance.

Compounding the problem is lack of patience with the weather and planting when the soil is too wet. It’s been a long, cold winter and gardeners are anxious to plant. Experienced gardeners will attest that working when the soil is wet, especially red clay can be a very big mistake. Working in wet clay soils produces bricklike clods, so gardeners need to wail until soil dries before tilling. Describing when soil is dry enough to till is somewhat tricky. Dig down a few inches and form a ball of soil in your hand. If the soil sticks together like play dough, then the soil is obviously too wet. If the soil seems to flake easily, then the soil may be tilled.

Overly wet soil has not been a gardener’s problem the past three seasons, but weather patterns can change. However, gardeners in the future may be able to cope with this problem with a few changes in their cultural practices. Below are a few:

Raised Beds—Raised beds drain easier allowing early entry into the garden. Sun exposed soils warm quicker allowing seeds to germinate faster and more evenly. Anticipating wet weather problems in the spring, commercial producers are prepared by bedding their fields in the fall. The tops of the raised beds can be lightly tilled in wet weather and are easily planted. Also, commercial growers take this opportunity in the fall to correct nutrient deficiencies during the bedding process.

Adding Organic Matter—Sound like it would increase water-holding capacity, but adding a coarse ground bark or composted material increases pore space making workability easier in with wet soils. Do not use peat moss. Peat moss will acts like a sponge holding water. Do not add sand. Sand turns red clay into brick. Adding PermaTil, an expanded slate product, although not organic is also beneficial in soil preparation. Adding ample amounts of PermaTil along with composted organic materials provides good workability or soil tilth, especially in tight clay soils

Good Site Selection—make sure your gardening area is welled drained for both water and cold air. Low lying areas are frost pocket for late frosts and collect excessive amounts of water.

Plant a cover crop—Cover crops such as wheat, rye grain or clover planted in the fall do much for the garden. These crops add organic matter, reduce weed competition and allow water to effectively percolate into the soil.