To determine if soil is too wet for planting, use a trowel to loosen a large handful of garden dirt. If the soil crumbles through your fingers when you squeeze it, you're good to plant the garden. If the soil forms a ball, hold off for a few days to avoid compaction caused by tilling or planting in wet soil conditions.
Working the soil when it is too wet can have a negative impact on its structure and leave you with rock-hard clumps of soil and a crust if there is high clay content in the soil. The amount of time one needs to wait after a rain event is very dependent on the type of soil you have in your garden.
No plant wants to be stuck into bone-dry earth.
That's because plant roots need moisture. Not only do they need water to run their physical systems, but moist soil also enables them to root into the ground well.
Make a ball of soil and drop it. If the ball crumbles, your garden is ready for seeds. If it holds its shape or breaks into two clumps, it's still too wet for planting. You can also step into the garden and then step back and look at the footprint you've left in the soil.
Collect some soil in your hand from the depth of the field where you are planning to plant the seed. Now try to squeeze the soil in your fist. With excess moisture and soil is able to cling to your palm, then the soil maybe too wet and not suitable for planting seeds.
To dry out soil quickly, you can apply hydrated lime to the soil, add compost and then turn the soil thoroughly to aerate it. Adding hydrated lime and compost will help absorb the water in your soil, and turning it all will help distribute the water in the waterlogged soil throughout your garden.
If it rains, it's best to wait a few days to allow soil to become semi-dry. To determine if soil is in working condition, simply pick up a ball of soil; if it falls apart in your hand when you poke it, then it is dry enough to be tilled. If it stays together in a ball, then it is too wet and needs more time to dry.
Add Organic Material
Aside from adding fertility, organic material is also great for breaking up heavy dense soils. By mixing and bonding with soil particles it allows for more air space and drainage. As a side note adding organic material can also help dry soils hold moisture.
If your soil is constantly wet, there won't be enough air pockets for your plants and the roots will not be able to breathe properly. This can cause your roots to rot and, therefore, your plant will suffer. Some symptoms of overwatered plants include dropping leaves, both new and old, at the same time.
After the soil is in place and well-watered, level the soil with a garden rake. A level soil will ensure that water flows down and through soil, and will help prevent surface erosion. STEP 2: Rest the Soil – Don't plant for at least 3 days!
If you walk on muddy ground or try to work with soil that has the consistency of wet clay, you're compacting the soil, which isn't good for your plants or your garden, said Yvonne Savio, master gardener and creator of GardeningInLA.net, a comprehensive guide to growing almost anything in Southern California.
Raised planting areas are a good idea, because they allow your wet-tolerant crops to access the water as well as oxygen for healthy roots and proper uptake of nutrients. Try planting berms on contour or raised beds. In addition to preparing a successful planting area, there are plenty of edible crops to choose from.
Seeds need moisture to germinate, but the seeds will rot if the soil is overly wet. If the seed-starting medium is too dry, moisture will not penetrate the seed coat and signal the seeds to sprout. Saturated soil will cause the seed to rot.
It is important to note that the majority of flowers, trees, and shrubs require moisture levels between 21% - 40%, while all vegetables require soil moisture between 41% and 80%. NOTE: All vegetables require soil moisture between 41% - 80%.
Repotting Plants: How to Do It
Make sure the plant is well watered 2-4 days in advance. You don't want to repot when it's sopping wet but being too dry will cause stress. Take the plant out of the pot. If the rootball is a bit tight, gently massage the roots to loosen them up.
The good news is that most plants will bounce back between 7-14 days if they're given proper care (which includes rehydration). If this isn't possible because major damage was done or little healthy root system exists then expect about 2 weeks until improvement can be seen.
Don't till wet soils to dry them out. Tilling or driving on wet soils causes compaction. Depending on how fast the rain came and how little residue was on the soil surface, a crust may have formed and some may want to till the field to break up the crust. This should be avoided as the soil may be too wet to do tillage.
Most experts tend to agree that two to three weeks is required between tilling and planting. This is enough time for the various organic matter to settle and once again begin producing the nutrients that your soil and plants need.
It may take an hour or more to thoroughly re-wet the soil. Be careful not to leave pots soaking in standing water continuously. Check them after an hour or two and remove them when they are hydrated.
Using a hairdryer directly on the soil is an easy way of removing that excess moisture easily. However, there are some things to take into consideration when doing so. When directed at the soil the dryer will only remove the moisture from the surface having the rest of the soil wet.
The soil should be damp, but never soggy or drenched. Gardening Know How warns that too much water in the soil can cause your seeds to deteriorate. It's important to start your seeds in the proper soil to help control any moisture issues.
Know thy soil
It usually takes a few days after a good rain for the soil to dry out enough that you can start planting. If you're unsure, push aside any mulch, dig 2 or 3 inches into the soil and take a handful. “If it clings together so you can form a fist of it, it's mud, and still too wet to work in,” Savio said.