- Survey any plant damage. Look for any leaf or stem damage that may have occurred. If there is minimal damage to leaves, you may be able to just remove them. Keep an eye on plants that have received moderate or heavy damage over the next couple of days; the plant might be able to recuperate. Try to stake up leaning plants. If the main stem of a plant has snapped it is more than likely a loss. You can try grafting the stem back together to salvage it, but there is no guarantee it will survive.
- Check for any exposed roots due to soil erosion. If you find exposed roots, cover them with soil or compost as soon as possible. Do not let the roots dry out–this could be catastrophic to the plant.
- After a very heavy rain, you may need to replenish nutrients. Having heavy water runoff can carry nutrients from the soil. Make sure to replenish these nutrients with fish emulsion or an organic all-purpose fertilizer.
- During the storm (or soon after) look for areas that may be draining poorly. You do not want areas of long-standing water in the vegetable garden. This can be bad for plants and can lead to root rot. If you find poorly draining areas, create ways to get the water to drain away from the vegetable garden. You could implement dry creek beds (rock beds) or use plastic water drains to redirect water from the vegetable garden.
- Eliminate possible slug or snail hiding places. Slugs and snails love damp places that have hiding areas. Remove any boards, stones, or other items lying in or near the garden.
- Keep an eye on emerging weeds. Weeds love to pop up soon after a storm. The sudden charge of moisture to the soil encourages weeds to spring up almost overnight. Add mulch to prevent weeds and to help ease soil erosion.
- Empty any containers that have collected water. Overturn any buckets, wheelbarrows, or pot saucers that contain rainwater. These are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Add this water to your rain barrel.
- Keep an eye out for fungal or bacterial diseases. Damp, humid conditions are perfect for fungal and bacterial disease development. Diseases, such as powdery mildew, will spread very quickly in these conditions. Treat these diseases as soon as you notice them. Waiting too long to act can mean serious trouble for your vegetable plants.
- Content modified from: 9 Vegetable Gardening Tips Following a Heavy Rain | Gardening Forum
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