Planted Dr Ruppel yesterday and today OMG HELP!

11 years ago

I planted just yesterday. I was so pleased with the location I chose until today that is. I worked my butt off, dug a big hole, hurt my back in the process. Put up the trellis and everything.

And today, well since last night it's been pouring down rain. And guess what, beautiful Dr Ruppel is sitting in a puddle of water. It still raining too, 5 hours later. I don't know what to do. Something always and I mean always happens in an area I choose to plant.

Could this just be due to the fact that I just dug there recently?

I've never paid much attention if water puddled there or not. I always think I do everything by the book and something always comes back to bite me. It looked so good yesterday in its place, but now it's just a muddy mess.

What should I do? We don't have much money, spent $18 on the plant, money on soil, the trellis and now it just feels that it was money wasted. Things like this get to me so badly. I won't be able to sleep on the count of it. I'll stress for days if not weeks. I thought on it for days, researched, asked questions, etc and now this happens.

I can't win for losing

Should I dig it up or what?

What are my options besides digging some kind of trench and leading it elsewhere?

Again, could this just be a muddy mess right now because I just dug a huge hole for it yesterday and we get a down pour today?

I've already been out there in the rain sweeping water away from it I'm really in tears right now.

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Comments (3)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
11 years ago
'money on soil,' rings alarm bells. Did you dig out a big hole then fill it with different soil from what you dug out? If so you may be suffering from 'bathtub effect'. This happens when you dig a hole in the native soil and backfill with a different, more porous soil. Water soaks into the porous soil but can't quickly permeate the surrounding soil. So your hole fills up with water.
lovetogrowflowers thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
lovetogrowflowers
Original Author
11 years ago
floral_uk - thank you so much for replying so quickly. I've attached a picture of the mess I've now made. I suffer with depression, anxiety, OCD and bipolar disorder. This has really taken a toll on me this morning. I have seriously been outside in the rain with a bucket on and off for the last three hours, crying as I fight an endless battle. It just won't stop raining.

And yes, that's exactly what I did. I purchased potting soil as I always do, mixed it with my native clay, and backfilled. I've got azaleas, brugmansia, roses, another clematis, etc and I remember this has happened in the past with those plants as well,when I first dig the hole, and if it rains soon after. But they've all survived. I don't know if I'm freaking out or what.

But now I've made a huge mess. With my OCD, and my mind racing I simply cannot control myself. I keep scooping out buckets of water. Digging like I did only made it worse. It did pull the water away from it a little but since the rain won't stop it just keeps filling up with water all around it.

I'm at a loss as to what I should do. I've come close several times to just carefully with the shovel scooping the clematis out of this muddy mess. It looks way worse now that it did, but I couldn't control myself. I freaked out and started digging a trench and quickly realized that wasn't going to be easy, and the more I dug the messier the whole area got.

Please please please when you have time advise me on what I should do. If it means digging it up and letting it dry out a little then I'll do it and plant it elsewhere. It nearly killed me planting it the first time. I pulled a muscle in my back and now I am paying for it. And to have to do it all again I just dread. But I most certainly will. And any advice, tips or tricks on how to fill this mess I made by digging?

Is bathtub effect normal? Am I freaking out for nothing? On this same side of the fence, about 10-12 feet down I have 2 brugmansia, a rose close by, cleome and they've all been puddled from time to time and all have survived over 5 years now.

I'm embarrassed to even show the area I chose. It looks such a mess now. The little fence was to keep my dogs away. It worked but I guess I needed a dam instead of a fence

What did I do wrong to cause this bathtub effect?

Thank you so much for just listening. And I'm ready for any and all advice you have time to give.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Calm down and take a deep breath :-) It is not the end of the world and it is not too late to fix things.

Standing water for a period of time after heavy rains is not unusual. But you do want the water to dissipate rapidly as soon as it stops raining. If it does not, It is a drainage issue with the soil and probably not a great location for a clematis - like the vast majority of plants, they want a well-drained soil.

The 'bathtub effect' is most common in clay soils but it can happen in any soil. You dig a deep planting hole in slowly draining clay soil then fill it with an enriched, moisture retentive amendment that just holds that moisture against the roots. The clay prevents the excess moisture from draining away promptly and the result is a bathtub or bucket of wet, soggy soil surrounded by the clay. Plant roots are deprived of oxygen under these conditions and can rot quickly.

Clematis do appreciate a wide, deep root run so if you are dealing with clay soils, it is often advisable to mound up the planting area with a fast draining soil, creating sort of a mini berm, and plant the vine in that. Or just relocate the plant to an area where the soil drains better and water does not puddle after a heavy rain. If you just planted, it is no big deal to dig it up and replant under more suitable conditions. It won't hurt the vine at all.