SO much rain! What can I still plant?

3 years ago

My rain gauges tell me we’ve had 13” in the last week and a half.

But I have SO much to do in the garden. I can do it all without stepping on the soil; I have strategic stepping stones placed throughout most of it.

I went to a plant swap a week ago and still have not been able to get half of it planted. I did the bare root perennials right away and they still look awful. I wonder if they’ll even make it.

But with it being so wet, can I even plant anything that’s been potted? They were outside too so sopping wet.

Please tell me if any of these following can go in: or if I need to wait.

Hosta seedlings in 6 packs or 2” pots: culls from crosses a friend gave me. I plan to put them along a path until I see if they grow up to be anything interesting. Some in a new bed that still has wide spaces in between divisions of large hostas.

Dahlias I started indoors: currently 4” to 8” tall.

Dahlia tubers I just bought: sprouted but still in their bags. I was hoping not to have to pot them first, considering they are destined to go in the ground. .

Lily bulbs, spouted in the bag.

I am guessing it’s a bad idea to plant any bulbs or tubers.

Perennials that are potted: Columbines, Forget me nots, dwarf Black eyed Susan, ajuga, Primula, balloon flower, lance-leafed coreopsis.

Tomato plants. Pepper plants.

Thanks for your advice.

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

3 years ago

13 inches in just over a week is a LOT of rain!! That's almost a third of my annual total!

Is it forecast to stop or let up significantly any time soon? You need to let the soil dry out some before planting. The plants will not appreciate saturated soils and you can destroy soil structure just by digging the planting holes.

In the meantime, pot up the dahlias and lilies and keep the rest of the containerized plants out of as much of the rain as you can manage.

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Comments (9)

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, it's nuts. But that's the trend lately. Torrential rains in spring and fall, very little rain in summer.

More rain due for 4 days starting Monday.
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harold100
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Same here with the rain in Virginia. Hurricane season doesn't start until June 1st but this week we had three and a half days of rain from a tropical storm coming up the coast. We got four and a quarter inch of rain. Having to take detours to work through the country because the river flooded part of the highway. I was holding my breath too on some plant damage but everything seems okay. We have had two days of sunny hot weather and now it is thundering this very moment as another storm coming in from the West is supposed to rain all night.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked harold100
Sydney (Zone 5B, DSM, Iowa)
3 years ago
Hi Neighbor! (Des Moines, here.) I feel your pain with the rain. I was able to get my tomatoes planted finally when we had a 1 day break in the rain. I have raised beds and they dried out enough to plant. I planted and split some hostas under a big tree as well and the dirt sticking to my spade was a pain. I have some transplanting to do, but I’m waiting till it’s less muddy out. My “to plant” flowers are sitting on the porch. They were looking pretty mad about being soaked over and over in their tiny pots.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked Sydney (Zone 5B, DSM, Iowa)
schoolhouse_gwagain
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I finally was able to work the small seed bed behind my mailbox this morning and sow some Bachelor Buttons.

ETA: oops, BBs are annuals. sorry. : )
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked schoolhouse_gwagain
miles10612
3 years ago
We also had lots of rain about 5 inches and will get more this week. The extreme heat mid 80’s and humid today is drying out everything in pots. We also had a very dry hot summer last year which meant watering the pots every day and the beds twice a week. Linnea56 where do you in Chicago, my daughter has a condo in the West Loop.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked miles10612
steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
3 years ago
I had issues with some Hosta I tried to plant in the rain. Better off potting them and waiting for drier weather. Absolutely crazy weather this year - Freeze followed by flood followed by fire - upper 80s here the past weekend and today. Not great weather to be waiting for Hosta deliveries (or planting). Luckily two shipments made it on Friday/Saturday, but one still in transit after being mailed last Monday. Fingers crossed. I have been using the frost blanket squares I cut to protect from direct sun on my new plantings. Just some plant stakes and clothes pins and viola.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
almosthooked zone5
3 years ago
It has rained a lot in BC Canada this season and much cooler then usual but it is suppose to be hot for next 3 days so weeds should pop up everywhere and the lawn will grow another 3 inches too.. then back to the rains again. Positive is no forest fires
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked almosthooked zone5
gawdinfever Z6
3 years ago
I'm in St. Louis, MO and in the same predicament as you! Please heed gardengal48's advice about ruining the soil structure! Been there, done that! I've potted mine up and keep under eave when it rains. I went a little crazy shopping plants online and sowing my own seed. I had to go out and buy a bunch of long planters as temporary holding for my plants. Easier to move those than individual containers.