Plant Growing Guidance - Everything You Want To Know About Rainfall

Water is the significant constituent of cell sap and is a vital component pertaining to plant health. It is essential for the process of photosynthesis, whereby water and carbon dioxide are transformed into food and transport nutrients for the plant. A good water supply is also needed for respiration, seed germination as well as the development of healthy roots, shoots, foliage, flowers and fruits.

When rain (or water) soaks in to the soil, it's absorbed by soil particles and then removed from the soil by plant root hairs, along with any dissolved nutrients.

Ideally, plant life should get a regular supply of water; however, as rainfall can be unpredictable and variable, this really is rarely the case unless they're grown in a strictly controlled setting.

Too Much Water (Waterlogging)

Poorly drained soils can lead to a build up of water that can be extremely harmful to a plant's health. Waterlogging may lead to asphyxiation of the plant's roots, causing them to die, and unless the site is established with improved drainage, the majority of plants will fail to establish.

However, some plants are able to survive these conditions, including marginal plants and trees such as willow (Salix) or the deciduous conifer - swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum). This is one of the major trees of the Florida everglades, which is also fully hardy here in the British Isles.

Too Little Water (Drought)

Too little water can be more damaging to a plant's growth than too much. Despite the fact that drought is technically a lengthened period with out rain (usually more than two weeks), plants will begin to suffer a long time prior to this; plant functions will slow down, transpiration is decreased and the plant will begin to wilt.

Most plants will require additional watering going through hot, dry summers, especially if they are not completely established. Nevertheless, if drought can be a typical event, you might wish to consider growing cacti and other succulents that store water in their leaves, stems or roots which enable them to survive lengthy periods of drought.

Be cautious of placing plants close to a wall or fence; ground on the leeward side (the side that is sheltered from the wind) receives considerably less rain compared to ground on the windward side. This is known as a 'rain shadow'. Unless of course you are searching for a really dry area in which to place plants, stay away from planting root systems closer than 45 cm (18 in) to the base of the wall.

Enhancing the Moisture Content of Soils

To enhance the drainage of soils:

- Set up man-made drainage.
- Double dig the soil, adding organic or inorganic matter to help bind the soil particles into crumbs.
- Look at creating a raised bed.

To boost the quantity of water available to crops:

- Dig in organic matter such as compost to enhance the soil structure.
- Add a mulch layer, such as a 15 cm (6 in) level of coarse bark or a plastic sheet held in place with pegs.
- Get rid of weeds (this reduces the competition for water and nutrients).
- Position plants away from spots of rain shadow.

By: Eddie Smith

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