Posts Tagged ‘rain garden care’

Time for Summer Rain Garden Maintenance

Monday, 31 July, 2017 15:49 Written by Stewardship Partners
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Summer is here, which means it’s time to water your rain garden! 

During the first two years of your rain garden’s life the plants are just getting established and will need water during dry periods. Once the roots have spread out and down (after two years) you won’t need to water them as much or at all.

If your rain garden is less than 2-3 years old, now is the time to start watering it!

RainWise has produced a video on “Watering Rain Gardens” that can help you learn how much to water your rain garden.

You can also refer to the Rain Garden Care Guide for helpful tips on watering and general plant care (Watering, page 10).

We have many great rain garden resources available in our Resource Library to answer your rain garden questions and help you maintain your hardworking garden!

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!

Springtime in Your Rain Garden

Tuesday, 07 April, 2015 08:59 Written by Stewardship Partners
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April 2015

Spring is a great season to get outside and enjoy your rain garden, as well as do some timely IMG_0641(2)maintenance. Be sure to download the Rain Garden Care Guide from12000raingardens.org if you don’t already have a copy.

Weeding: Weeds are easiest to dig out in the spring when the soil is moist and the weeds are small. Use a trowel or weed fork to dig around the roots. Try to get all the roots out, or else the weed can grow back and try to weed before they go to seed. Work in one area at a time and move systematically around your rain garden.

Mulch: Once you have removed weeds in one area, go back through and “fluff” up the mulch, loosening and spreading it around to cover up any bare spots and bringing in more as needed. Ideally you want woodchip mulch 2 to 4 inches deep to keep weeds from taking root and to keep soils cool and moist through our dryer months.

When working in your rain garden take care not to compact the soil as this can slow drainage. If you are weeding or planting in the bottom (zone 1) of your garden, use a small board, plank or knee pad to spread weight more evenly.

gingerSpringtime Blossoms:  We all enjoy this time of the year when blossoms pop out in our gardens. Now is the time to be on the look out for columbines, wild ginger, trillium, bleeding heart, crimson flag, irises, and red-flowering currant, followed by camas, sunrose, asters, ninebark, spireas, and sweet bay as we move into early summer.