Overwatered Plants

Question

What do I need to do with overwatered (outdoors) plants in sotuhern Texas drought and heat after an unusual 8 in. rain? I thought the plants were extremely dry because they were wilting and leaves were turning yellow. I thought they must be too dry because our hard, clumpy soil was all very dry looking on top and cracked. Turns out that deep down the soil was registering very wet on my thermometer. Also, I had put the plants both in pots and on the ground in moisture-control potting soil because our hard, clumpy soil is impossible in this area. Any ideas to save my beautiful gardens besides getting someone else who knows what they are doing besides me? I’ve already spent an arm and leg on mulch and limestone rocks and love flower and plant gardening but can’t afford to just start over. Also, what should I do about fertilizer — I use Medina’s HastoGrow. Help!

Answer 1

Sorry to hear about your plants–though placing them in pots and allowing their roots to dry out some should help. As for the soil in your area, it might be a good idea to amend it with organic matter, which will loosen it up and improve drainage. Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/how-to-improve-clay-soil.htm

Should this not be feasible, what about using raised beds? They’re quite simple to create and will knock out some of the problems you’ve addressed. Here is an article to get you started: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/raised-vegetable-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/urban/raised-beds-for-urban-settings-no-digging-required.htm