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Another 5 inches of rain
- Thread starter MoWhiskey
- Start date
I've lost a few pepper plants due to damping after some of these heavy rains.
Check this thread to see if you've had stem damping:
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/64827-what-causes-this-stem-problem/?hl=damping
Every time I've had stem damping, the plant died.
I've had other pepper plants that just wilted over after a heavy rain (without any visible stem damping), and I was able to prop them up, and they recovered OK.
Check this thread to see if you've had stem damping:
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/64827-what-causes-this-stem-problem/?hl=damping
Every time I've had stem damping, the plant died.
I've had other pepper plants that just wilted over after a heavy rain (without any visible stem damping), and I was able to prop them up, and they recovered OK.
After ten years of moving earth and building soil, we are fairly good against rain. But it does move top soil around because I till for weeds down the center of the rows. No solution but to put it back manually each year. On the upside, I have to dredge the ponds every few years. The top soil finds its way there. Fortunately, the fish and duck poop winds up there too so we get the gift of great sort of recycled top soil.
I do think heavy rain will wash away chemical nutrients. But organic seems more like a pause in nutrients. Unless your top soil is completely gone, leaving clay, I imagine the micro organisms would get right back to work making new nutrients as soon as it dries up a bit.
BTW: We got 4 inches in a day last week. I survived with only a few ruts cut into the run off area.
I do think heavy rain will wash away chemical nutrients. But organic seems more like a pause in nutrients. Unless your top soil is completely gone, leaving clay, I imagine the micro organisms would get right back to work making new nutrients as soon as it dries up a bit.
BTW: We got 4 inches in a day last week. I survived with only a few ruts cut into the run off area.
Their talking about up to 5 " of rain here in over the next 4 to 5 days . 
We got around 30" since Memorial Day with many 3-4-5" events... and then we had TS Cindy. Another 8". All my plants are in pots that drain very well so not a big deal. Good thing is I didn't have to water for weeks. Bad thing is I figure a lot of my horse poo and other goodies were washed out of the pots.
So they were ready for some water yesterday morning and I gave them all a good bottom soak with a weak fertilizer solution. 31 pots, 25 gallons of solution. That took a while. Since then we got another 3" of rain and it's still going.
So they were ready for some water yesterday morning and I gave them all a good bottom soak with a weak fertilizer solution. 31 pots, 25 gallons of solution. That took a while. Since then we got another 3" of rain and it's still going.
you're going to be wishing for it in a month once summer really kicks in to July where there is typically a lot less rain in the US (more scattered/localized from summer storms).
once you have really good soil most rain problems go away as drainage is significantly improved. every year I dump a lot of compost, 10-15% of it is bits and pieces of tiny twigs and acorn bits that didn't fully break down from previous year. helps with drainage a ton. I pour 5 gallons of water around the Tomato plants (heavy drinkers) and water disappears the moment it touches the soil.
if you plant in pots then nutrients will flush out a lot faster.. I believe it's best to fertilize plants after a lot of rain to give them a nitrogen boost.
I advise to spraying weekly with something such as neem oil. great stuff for over all health of the plants, especially when it's wet and damp out for days. just try to apply it 24-48 hours before rain and reapply depending how much rain fell. seaweed/kelp is also great for plants to help the with stress and even prevent disease, many of which popup during the early spring/summer wet season.
once you have really good soil most rain problems go away as drainage is significantly improved. every year I dump a lot of compost, 10-15% of it is bits and pieces of tiny twigs and acorn bits that didn't fully break down from previous year. helps with drainage a ton. I pour 5 gallons of water around the Tomato plants (heavy drinkers) and water disappears the moment it touches the soil.
if you plant in pots then nutrients will flush out a lot faster.. I believe it's best to fertilize plants after a lot of rain to give them a nitrogen boost.
I advise to spraying weekly with something such as neem oil. great stuff for over all health of the plants, especially when it's wet and damp out for days. just try to apply it 24-48 hours before rain and reapply depending how much rain fell. seaweed/kelp is also great for plants to help the with stress and even prevent disease, many of which popup during the early spring/summer wet season.