Planting before or after rain is one of the questions that many gardeners are very interested in and debated during this time. When growing any kind of plant, moist soil is an important factor in stimulating germination and starting a plant’s life journey. To keep the soil moist, you’ll need water, and that’s for sure. So many gardeners have debated whether to plant plants before or after the rain to save water and labor time.
There are two ongoing opinions about the benefits of planting plants before or after the rain to maximize time and cost savings. What are your thoughts on this matter? Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of growing plants before or after the rain in this article.
Planting Before Or After Rain? – Why Should You Plant Seeds Before It Rains?
The answer is that you should plant plants before it rains. Because when it rains with a large amount of water, the soil will become too wet. At the same time, the soil will be compacted and contain very high moisture which will make it difficult for the seeds to germinate and rot. Even if you till the soil, it cannot be loose and dry to sow seeds.
If you continue to plant seeds or plants in compacted soil, the plants can not absorb oxygen and nutrients to grow. If plants and seeds cannot absorb oxygen, they will die or grow stunted, because oxygen plays an important role in improving the health of plants.
Moreover, if you sow seeds or plant plants in compacted soil, subsequent rain will cause the plants to drown. Because the soil is already compacted and too wet, making drainage less efficient. Heavy and continuous rains can wash away young plants or seeds. So the ideal time for you to plant plants or sow seeds is 30 to 40 days before the rainy season or 7 to 10 days after heavy rains.
However, if the small, light rains are just enough to moisten the soil, you can still plant seeds or plant saplings in the ground. This amount of water will help you moisten the soil and save time watering in the early days. The reason is that the seeds will need more water in the early stages to grow the first leaves.
You should look at the weather forecast for your area and the periodic rain and shine activity each year to choose the right time to plant your seeds. It will mean a lot if you sow with a large number of seeds or a large number of young plants.
Is The Rainy Season The Ideal Season To Sow Seeds?
The rainy season is generally considered the best time to sow seeds and plant young plants. Ideal temperature, high humidity, and cool weather are favorable factors for the development of seeds and young plants. Moist soil will ensure seeds can quickly root and increase metabolism. During the rainy season, sudden rains or little rainfall will be very helpful in moistening the soil and watering the plants naturally.
If you sow seeds or plant young plants in times of little rain or high temperatures, it will be difficult for plants to thrive. Continuous sunlight will cause plants to burn and not be able to flower or shoot young. You should sow seeds or plant young plants before the rain to take advantage of the natural rainfall to irrigate them. So you will save a lot of time and money on watering plants.
The best time to sow seeds is before it rains. Dry soil is easier to handle than wet soil after heavy rain. Light rains are ideal for moistening the soil and not wash away seeds or break young plants. You should not sow seeds when heavy rain or storms are forecast because it will wash away the seeds or damage young plants. Especially, if you have just plowed the ground, the water will wash away both the seeds and the fertilizer into the grooves. Therefore, you should plant seeds or plant plants before the weather forecast for light rains.
How To Protect Seeds And Young Plants When It Rains Heavily
Rain or shine are constant changes in the weather, although you can see the weather forecast. To make sure you can protect your seeds and young plants, you should take protective measures. Here are some measures you can take to reduce the risk of heavy rain.
Tilt The Soil Into Raised Beds And Have Trenches For Drainage
You need to create furrows higher than the ground and create small trenches to drain water when it rains. This will help keep the seedbed and young plants higher than the ground, so rainwater will flow from higher to lower areas without settling too much on the surface of the bed. The furrows between the beds will flow to a well-drained area or storage. Use a water pump to suck water out of your garden so the soil quickly dries out.
Use Mulch On The Ground
If you plant seeds in large quantities in the soil, heavy rains will wash them away. Therefore, you need to use mulch on the ground such as straw or plastic bags to limit water seeping into the soil. Before heavy rain, place thick layers of straw or plastic bags on the ground. The mulch will prevent rainwater from directly hitting the seeds or damaging the young plants.
Use A Mobile Canopy
Alternatively, you can use a trellis system to protect seeds and young plants if it suddenly rains heavily and for several days. Try to minimize the amount of heavy rain that washes away seeds and young plants. The automatic trellis can open and fold in many cases. It can help limit direct sunlight with high intensity or heavy rainfall falling to the ground.
Conclude
You should sow seeds or plant young plants before it rains. When it rains with a large amount of water, the soil will be excessively wet. Too much water will cause the soil to compact and severely lack oxygen. You will not be able to make the soil loose even if you use the machine to till the soil. Therefore, you should sow seeds or plant young plants before it rains.
Small rains will also help you to provide soil moisture and stimulate plant growth. Check the weather forecast or use pergolas, mulch, or nylon bags to protect seeds and young plants from heavy rain. In addition, you also need to use a pump to promote drainage to avoid flooding the garden.