Monsoon gardening tips

Monsoon is the season of beauty in Bangladesh. Everything around you is fresh, rain soaked, and green; even the polluted Dhaka air feels fresh. Our streets, our cityscape, rooftop gardens, the plants in the balconies — all beaming at their brightest.

While there is no need to water your plants regularly during monsoon, heavy rainfall does take its toll on gardens. And you still need to do your bit; the gardener has to be twice as hardworking simply to keep the greens healthy, preserve the beauty of the garden, stop the plants from water stagnation and a lot more. Let me point out a few gardening hacks that might help during the heavy monsoon.

Avoid standing water

The accumulation of the rainwater in your garden or pots is a major issue. It causes soil nutrients to wash away, depriving your plants of all the nourishment. Moreover, water stagnation for a lengthy period can make the roots rot. You must make sure that the tubs have holes in order to drain out the excess water, and if the soil is all black and muddy, then re-potting is a must to save the plant.

One of my personal hacks is to make provision for drainage in big drums by drilling holes on the sides, allowing extra water to flow out. This prevents water stagnation in drums for big trees.

Make pathways in your garden by lowering the height at places for the water to drain properly. Make sure all your drainage systems are working properly. Many times, dry leaves or dirt block the drain tracks causing water stagnation.

Make way for new growth

This is the right time for new shoots to grow but they will need some space for that. If you don't, your garden will look like a mini jungle within a few days. Thus, pruning your plants in a timely manner is a must. Also, make sure to you use proper pruning and cutting tools for the task. Weeding is also an essential part of monsoon garden maintenance. Weeds can grow rapidly during monsoon rains and thus soak up the nourishment intended for your plants. Keep trimming your garden at timely intervals to avoid unnecessary undergrowth.

Make way for light

The cloudy skies of monsoon evidently create an issue when it comes to light, especially if you have plants that are dependent on sunlight. And the thick foliage of your big plants shades the garden top. Make sure to place pots facing the sun and properly trim foliage at regular intervals. Use garden lights.

Things to consider

Another little detail is to avoid walking on wet soil, especially where you intend to plant new saplings. This packs the soil particles together and squeezes out the necessary oxygen.

Also, earthworms are a gardener's best friend; they keep the soil aerated. Utilise earthworms and fertilisers to ensure that your soil never loses its fertility.

Perforated sheets, allow the plants to keep their moisture and protect them from excess rain water, so these are gaining popularity as an essential during the monsoon.

Checking for any slimy algae that begins to grow with the onset of monsoon, is a must because they can make the ground surface slippery.

On a happier note, Star Lifestyle is turning 20 today, and we wish all our readers, advertisers and patrons on this occasion, and thank them for staying with LS — your favourite lifestyle magazine, through thick or thin. We hope to make your Tuesday mornings merrier for the next 20 years and beyond.

Happy gardening!

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed