Holes are filled to the brim with Water!!

[Marcellas]

SO everything is running super late this season due to the weather, and these unforgiving RAINS!! I usually have my plants outside by now, sometimes in April!

So I'm running a bit late but no worry.. I dug my holes about a week ago and went out today to fill them with their soil, EWC, ammendments, ect..

I'm planting in a SEMI-wetland/swampy/boggy area.. There is a few inches of sitting water once in awhile.
....Went out to fill my holes with soil today, to find ALL but 1 hole filled to the brim with water!!

I used a VERY similar location last year, and never had any noticable problems..

So I was only able to fill the only 1 semi-dry hole with soil, and left my big bag of soil out at the spot and hid it as well as I could.. The other holes besides that 1, are all mini-swimming pools..

What should I do?? Try to wait for it to dry out or just throw my soil in to seep out all the water? Or will I really have to find a different spot?? I can't use smart-pots or anything by the way, I need to keep the girls kind of small..

What should I do??!?!

 

[Weezard]

Bummer.

Bummer.

Howzit, Marcellas?

Just my solicited opinion,
but if those holes don't drain properly,
you'll either need to dig drainage trenches,
or lay in a ring of rope "wicks" to grow anything decent in them.

Better you know now than later, yah?

Aloha,
Weezard

 

[Ulysses]

My holes were the same when I prepped them earlier this month. I actually just threw everything in there and stirred well...

You have to know your holes- will they drain eventually??? I run a 20-30 gallon hole and know that the bog will begin to dry out in the 5 month grow season here. Try raising a mound of soil over the hole.

Usually, I get trees with very little lugging of water...

 

[OD budzz]

hey buddy, i say just take a bucket out there and scoop the water out

 

[ijim]

Some of my spots are boggy in the spring but dry out by the end of June. I build mounds at those sights. And let the roots follow the water as it subsides. The mounds let the air roots breath all season.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Throw a tire over the hole and fill with soil mix to the top of the tire. It's like a combo hole/raised bed. The hole will stay wet unless you're able to find some way to drain it. But the tire on top allows a good amount of water to run off at ground level, under the tire.

The soil inside the tire will get wet from rain bit won't stay soaked like the hole may. You'll have some oxy absorption from the tire where the dirt ain't so wet.

 

[Marcellas]

Thanks for the great advice everyone!! Please keep it coming!

 

[Marcellas]

So I think the raised beds thing is a great idea, but I'm not sure if I have enough soil out there to do the job. If worst comes to worst, I guess I can just fill them with what I can and buy more soil tommorow if needed. And I will bring a bucket to scoop out as much water as possible like one of you said

Luckily, it hasn't rained in a few days, and has been real hot and sunny, especially yesterday and today! I'm hoping the rain holds out and the holes dry up a bit ASAP, because I have to get all my plants out by Thursday night, because I'm going out of town for the weekend

What do you guys think??

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

giterdone

 

[Ripshot]

I had this problem last year with a new area that i dug holes in. your problem lies in the surrounding soil and not your holes. it dosent matter how well the medium that you fill with drains, water will still soak in to your holes waterlogging your medium. this water will fill in the areas of the soil that is normally filled with air (oxygen) and cause root rot. in my experience a plant can tolerate one or two days in this condition before root decay starts. the plants will survive, but will be stunted and prone to disease and mold.

you must have a complete wet/dry cycle for contuious root growth and allow nutrient uptake. in dwc hydroponics the roots are immersed in water but with the aid of air stones that keep oxygen levels up.

my suggestion is to build mounds or smart pots although i realize you have kibashed this idea already. keep in mind without a strong breeze to blow away the moisture coming up from the ground you will be prone to disease and mold. my crop last year suffered 50% mold loss, and the site was abandoned.

 

[StrapAssassin42]

My grow will be in a very similar locatition... my 1st outside.
When building mounds should i break up the earth underneath or leave the grass...(in hopes the water will run off...kinda like the tire idea).
The ground is heavy clay... i plan to dig about 18 inches down and 2ft x 2ft... and mound up about a foot....good plan?
Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Marcellas]

Good advice everyone! Im going out of town for 3-4 days in an hour, and didn't get a chance to get my plants outside.. I think I'm going to do the "slightly" raised beds thing. I'm glad I know I shouldn't have to water too much!! Thanks everyone, keep the suggestions coming

 

[Marcellas]

Just got back from vacation, didn't get a chance to get the plants outside before I left.. I'll find out how everything looks tommorow but it's been hot and sunny for the past week or so!!