2013. Not the greatest year for extreme British weather was it? We had a good dose of everything be it; sun, snow, wind and rain. Sadly December saw rainfall that impacted many gardens, veg plots and lawns, and we haven’t even got through the spring storms yet.

As a gardener we do not have many options other than to learn from the weather, be better prepared and have better preventative measures in place where we can. Then we get to work putting them in place and repairing the damage.

These following 10 tips will hopefully help you if you have faced recent flooding troubles and should help you tick some of the tasks needed to be done.

Be careful cleaning up – Use plastic gloves and ensure you have the appropriate footwear to protect from sewage and any broken glass. Help protect roots by not walking on waterlogged areas. Use a plank or stepping stones where you can. Roots need oxygen, and further soil compaction can cause further root death. Keep a note of which areas of the garden were affected and the water levels – You may be able to build up areas of the garden or veg plot to protect it from future flooding. Think about building raised flowerbeds and/or veg beds if the flooding height warrants it. Hose down the sheds, out-buildings and walls to clean off the mud and treat an wood work after it has dried out. Do not eat contaminated fruit and veg. The last thing you want is your energy reserves sapped with so much work to be done because you ate something coated in sewage. Also, if your garden is flooded by sewage look at the recommended length of time that you should not attempt to grow fruit and vegetables for due to pathogens being present in the soil. Do not throw any items to be claimed for until your insurance company says to do so. If your garden was flooded for a number of days, turn over the soil where you can to help counteract compaction and improve the soil structure. Spike your lawn (and other parts of the garden) to allow water to drain. Feel the spiked holes you make with sand to allow water to drain further into the soil. Take cuttings of any healthy plants that you cherish – It may not be apparent at the time of the clean-up, but they may have root damage if they were waterlogged for a number of days, or be affected later by any sewage/chemicals that were in the water. Be on the defensive of slugs and snails as they will be out in force in these conditions.

Here at Toms Tree Ties we hope you were not badly affected by the windy, rainy weather and still got to enjoy the festive period. Wishing you a happy gardening year for 2014!

Photo credit: Derek Harper [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons