Too Much Rain

Question

Three weeks ago I planted new shrubs (barberry) in my yard and we have had nothing but rain ever since. The ground is completely saturated and puddling. At first, my bushes were looking great, but now they are looking very bad. I read on a gardening site about poking holes with a pitchfork around the bushes to aerate the soil, which my husband did last night, but is there anything else I can do to save my bushes from too much water?

Answer 1

Consider placing a berm in your landscape to redirect water to another area and improve drainage. These article should also help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/signs-of-plants-affected-by-too-much-water.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/building-a-berm-how-do-i-make-a-berm.htm

Answer 2

I have two barberry scrubs and have had them for six years, I put peat moss in my soil every year and every second year I add black dirt and peat moss, last year we had an abundance of rain and they did okay. You could also try putting bark chips around them or some kind of mulch