"Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade" – Rudyard Kipling
What we mean to say is that to preserve your garden and its beauty, you will need to toil in it and work to maintain its stunning aesthetics! Rainy season gardening will especially need your extra efforts to stay vibrant and healthy, allowing you to beautify your green space.
• Garden Maintenance Tips for a Seamless Monsoon Gardening Experience
Here are a few gardening tips to follow to maintain a beautiful monsoon garden throughout the season:
1. Avoid Water Stagnation
The accumulation of the rainwater in your home garden is a major issue. It causes the soil nutrients to wash away and deprives the plants of all the nourishment. So, if you're gardening in rainy season, make provisions for drainage and see to it that all the water efficiently moves out of the garden.
Also Read: 5 Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion during Monsoon
2. Prune, Prune and Prune
Our top rainy season plant care tip? Pruning! Prune your plant with pruning and cutting tools as you see fit, and take off the parts as soon as the rains hit. This is the right time for new shoots to grow but they will need some space for that, so ensure adequate space for the same as well.
3. Befriend the Earthworms
A big part of monsoon garden maintenance involves utilizing earthworms and adequate fertilizers during this season to ensure that your soil never loses its fertility. Earthworms also help keep the soil aerated and make sure that the water percolates below the surface, avoiding root rot and plant root suffocation to sustain the health of the plant.
4. Pull out the Weeds
Weeding is an essential part of home gardening in general and monsoon garden maintenance in particular. Weeds can grow rapidly during the rains and thus soak up the nourishment intended for your plants. Hence, keep trimming your garden in timely intervals to avoid harmful growth.
Also Read: Easy ways to control weeds
5. Make Provisions for Light in your Garden
Light becomes a cause of concern during monsoons, especially if you have garden plants that are dependent on sunlight. For proper plant care and to fulfill this need, you can try using artificial sources of light in your garden.
This is a rather different yet very effective method to rid your garden of excessive monsoon insects. Allow some frogs or toads to enter your garden as do no harm to your plants but keep your home garden plants insect-free.
6. Don't Walk on the Wet Soil
Another little tip for garden and plant care in rainy season is to avoid walking on wet soil, specifically where you intend to plant new saplings. This packs the soil particles together and squeezes out the necessary oxygen, creating a rather inhospitable environment for plants later.
7. Use Perforated Sheets to Protect your Plants from Heavy Rain
Perforated sheets have gained popularity as an essential rainy season plant care equipment, much more so than the opaque sheets which can hinder plant growth. Perforated sheets protect plants from excess rainfall while still giving them the moisture they need, allowing you to balance out the moisture and water your garden plants receive.
8. Remove the Algae
Finally, you’ll need to get your hands dirty (or not, use gloves of course!) and get rid of the slimy algae that begin to grow with the onset of the monsoon. Check your soil surface for the green algae patches and remove them immediately.
We hope that these rainy season gardening tips for beginners have shed some light and cleared some confusion on proper garden maintenance during monsoons. It isn’t necessarily the time for trouble as it can also be the time for growth!
While the rain takes away the need to water your plants regularly, you still need to do your bit if you love your home garden and your indoor plants. This season and you can easily become a great team, working together for your garden's health and longevity.
Happy Gardening!
