There are many ways for your plants or the soil to become waterlogged, but you may still be able to avoid losing your plants!
What is waterlogging and why does it occur?
The soil and root zone becomes saturated with water when plants are waterlogged. In other words, the water can’t drain away fast enough. During floods, the soil cannot absorb or evaporate as much rain as it does.
During periods of intense rainfall, such as summer storms, such problems may occur. You may live in an area of heavy rainfall and have a seasonal problem. You may have water flowing through your garden if you live on a slope and your neighbor’s properties above you.
In addition to extreme weather events, gardens and plants also suffer from waterlogging due to other factors. Poor drainage, excessive watering, and heavy clay soils can also contribute to this problem.
What Happens when Soil and Plants are Waterlogged?
There are lots of little pockets of air around the soil particles. When these are saturated with water, the roots of the plant die off from the tips. This can lead to a toxic soil environment because carbon dioxide cannot move away from the plant and oxygen cannot reach it.
It is unlikely to occur if you only have a seasonal rainfall problem unless the soil becomes waterlogged for a long time. Excess water usually finds a way to escape before this happens.
In addition, the type of soil structure you have also matters. Heavy clay soils hold water for long periods because they have poor drainage properties, while sandy soils drain quickly.
A poor drainage system or excessive overwatering may cause your plant’s soil to be waterlogged, which may eventually lead to its death. It is possible for carbon dioxide and ethylene to accumulate around plant roots. These gases may have adverse effects on root growth and plant health.
Moreover, nutrient deficiencies will also occur due to leaching. If your plants are starving, then they will weaken and be prone to infestation and disease.
But don’t worry! You can identify if you have a waterlogging problem, and there are solutions!
10 Signs your Soil is Waterlogged
The following ten signs indicate that you may have a waterlogging problem:
- Yellowing leaves may occur as a consequence of nitrogen leaching from the soil. Other discolorations may take place, such as browning leaves on evergreen plants.
- Plants suddenly begin to wilt or drop leaves. Shoots die back, or leaves become soft.
- Occasionally, algal growths can develop on the soil surface of your pot or garden.
- It is possible that plants such as dock will appear. These plants prefer anaerobic soils and arrive to help return health to the soil.
- Soil may begin to smell ‘sour’ or become anaerobic. This could be a sign the plant roots and aerobic microbes are dying off.
- The water in your soil is pooling on the top.
- There are pests and diseases attacking your plants.
- There are many worms that emerge at the surface. They try to save themselves from drowning.
- On the surface of the soil, you may see a scum or residue.
- When you lift your plant from the pot or soil, you may see that the roots look brown or black instead of white. This may indicate that your plant is suffering from root rot.
How to Prevent and Manage Waterlogged Soil?
These are my strategies for coping with subtropical weather events on a regular basis. Hopefully these solutions and techniques will help you as well.
First
Remove sludge from the leaves of the plants by hosing them down. Use stronger water pressure for strong shrubs and potted trees, but a low water pressure for delicate plants.
Second
Remove the sludge accumulated over the pot as a result of floodwaters; protect your skin with gloves. Bag up the sludge and dispose of it. Neither humans nor animals should come in contact with this or end up in your garden.
Third
Next, scrub the outside of the pot with warm soapy water, and be sure to use an environmentally friendly and biodegradable soap instead of a chemical-laden soap. If the pot surface is porous , it is likely to absorb these toxins, resulting in the potting soil becoming contaminated.
Fourth
It is likely some healthy microorganisms and other soil life that were living in your pot were drowning, leaving it unhealthy.
Most likely, their numbers have been greatly reduced, especially if you have pot saucers. In this case, the potting mix or soil smells ‘sour’ or anaerobic, as well as dead worms.
Air normally fills in the spaces between the soil crumb structure. All living organisms and plants need air to survive. Once root decay starts, you may smell an unpleasant smell.
Fifth
If the pots contained edibles close to harvest, you may wish to avoid eating these crops if you suspect they were contaminated with pollutants.
6 Strategies to Manage Your Waterlogged Plants
Sweeten your soil
In the unlikely event the plant needs to be re-potted, and its soil still smells, you can sweeten the soil. Add a tablespoon of garden lime or agricultural lime to help remove the odor. However, if you have a plant that prefers acidic soil, you should avoid this treatment.
Refresh your potting mix
Then you can re-pot your plants by adding fresh ‘ingredients’ to the potting mix to build up their health and restore aeration.
Removing any soil that may contain harmful toxins and composting it warmly would be ideal. When mixing up new potting soil, use gloves and a mask to remove any pathogens.
If possible, add vermiculite to be able to retain minerals and aerate the soil. Fresh compost may be added in equal parts. Vermiculite of Grade 3 is an ideal size for aerating plant roots, and can also be used in the alternative, coarse river sand that is widely available at landscapers for a low price.
Remove foliage
You should remove any dead or dying shoots or foliage with clean secateurs. You should also pay attention to tool hygiene. Make sure you wash your tools in warm soapy water after using them on sick plants.
Replenish soil life
Adding beneficial microorganisms back into the soil when you are not re-potting is possible. To do this, gently fork some new compost and/or worm castings into the top layer of the soil. Avoid disturbing the roots of the plant.
Then ‘feed’ them with a drink of diluted molasses and seaweed or kelp. The black liquid known as molasses is basically a simple sugar that beneficial soil bacteria go crazy for at their ‘dinner table.’ It is usually sold cheaply at health food stores and garden produce stores and is an excellent investment in soil and plant health. You need only a capful of liquid in your watering can. Wait until the soil moisture is below 70% before adding liquid.
When the microbes have food, they have enough energy to multiply and get to work in your pot/soil. Follow the directions for the dilution of the seaweed/kelp. They will soon stabilize the pH balance and restore the plant’s health. Do this treatment every two weeks until the plant recovers and the soil is healthy again.
Measure soil moisture
If you have a soil moisture meter, you can use it as a diagnostic tool. Consider letting the soil dry out before you add any more water. When the soil moisture levels are above 80%, they are still too moist. Moisture levels between 40% and 70% allow some oxygen to remain in the soil. Water when the soil moisture reaches 30%.
Check or improve drainage
Let’s not forget to check the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Make sure they are free of roots or blockages, so water can drain away freely. Consider drilling more holes in the pot or transplanting to a more suitable container if the pots are frequently waterlogged.
To prevent the drainage holes from becoming blocked, add a fine mesh flyscreen to the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, place the pot on feet or a portable trolley so that water can drain freely.
How to Prevent Waterlogged Plants?
Plants do not thrive in waterlogged soil, just as we would not be comfortable living underwater all the time! Plant roots need oxygen too!
Roots can rot or decay if they sit in excess water for too long. As the roots deteriorate, they can no longer take up water, so the plant wilts. The same signs are present in a plant that is thirsty! Therefore, you need to look for other clues to avoid accidental waterlogging in plants.
Water sitting in saucers can contribute to waterlogging and can also serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Pots with self-watering holes help keep moisture in the soil where plants need it, while allowing excess water to drain away.