Sweet Rain in Spring 2022

It's long been said that the best weather for sleeping is hearing it rain outside. Raise your hand if this applies to you. ✋ 

Now raise your hand if you're a gardener and love all the recent spring rain more than a good night's sleep. ✋✋✋ 

The rain gauge topped out at 1.7 inches at our home in central Denver.

As wonderful as all this needed moisture is for our parched landscapes, keep in mind that there is one major downside to gardening after a heavy rain event.

Avoid, at all cost, walking on or planting in wet soil. If you dig in wet, clay soil you can count on the soil particles becoming more compacted than they already are.

Digging in wet gardens spells trouble for the soil structure.

Think of the most dense piece of fudge you've ever eaten and how heavy and intense the sugars and chocolate feel together. Now double or triple this denseness and you have Colorado wet soil. 

When gardening in wet conditions, the soil becomes clumpy and unworkable when it dries out. You will curse (a lot) when you see these results. Just say no and let the soil dry in a few days or as long as it takes. You'll know it is ready when a handful of soil crumbles through your fingers.

Check out my garden video from The Denver Post a few years ago when we had a similar rainy spring season - 

Click here if video doesn't pop up.

No time to waste waiting for the soil to dry out? Okay then, want to talk about weeds that need pulling. 😉