Flash Flood in the Garden

It has been raining here a lot lately. So much so that I have had to plan my planting sessions between showers. You really shouldn't transplant seedlings or sow seeds when rain is on the forecast, but we're going on vacation in a week and a half, and I need to get this stuff in the ground before then.

So I worked last night to hoe the weeds out of the bottom left bed and plant the tomatoes. I got up early this morning to hoe the weeds out of the bottom right bed and plant the eggplant and sow the green beans and soybeans.

Everything was a-ok for about 2 hours when the skies let loose a torrential downpour, the likes of which I have rarely seen in this area. Needless to say, the garden flooded.

Behold the great garden flood ...



Ian and I booked it outside and covered the seedlings with upside pots to prevent their newly transplanted leaves from being pelted to oblivion, but there was nothing we could do for the lettuce and beans that are unfortunately positioned at the lower ends of the two beds.

Lesson learned - we need to drill some drainage holes in the lower boards so water can escape the clutches of our heavy clay soil. Since our drill does not operate on batteries, we found it best to wait for the rain to stop before taking the power cord out there to remedy the situation.

The downpour stopped just after we came in from the trying to save the plants, soaked from head to toe, but there is still a steady drizzle that will keep those beds full of water and prevent me from drilling holes to save the seedlings.

Blasted rain. It's never there when you need it, but won't leave when it's not welcome.