Help----I have just discovered why some of my hydrangeas in a 20-year old bed are declining. There is too much moisture in the soil. This is an old raised bed that I built years ago---------is among pine trees and has a large number of old hydrangeas in it. I have thought about trying to put in a French Drain-------but, I am not sure the bed is now high enough (seems to have sunk over the years)------thought about moving the plants ( not feasible because of massive size of some hydrangeas---and my age--76)------is there anything I can add to the top of the soil? Please give me suggestions---
Shirleyd
Zone7b
Too much water
I would ask a few landscape companies to come over and give you a list of options along with their cost.
Just wondering, shirleyd, what is the source of all this moisture? Are you watering too much or is there something causing water to collect in the raised bed?
To those of you who tried to help------I believe I have discovered the reason for all my moisture. My yard man told me that when he removed the covering from my hydrant in the Shade garden he found lots of moisture and wet coverings on the faucet. That means that I failed to turn the faucet completely off last October---------------so the water leaked from October till March in this area. It is a miracle that all the plants aren't dead. Now that the faucet is remedied my problem is trying to get this soil to dry out-----------during the spring rains! Gardening is not easy! Got any suggestions? Anything I can put out to absorb moisture. We are expecting rains for the next 3 days so I plan to try to put some plastic on the soil to try to avoid as much of the rain as possible in the area.
Shirleyd
Zone 7b
Compost absorbs a lot of water based on weight, shirleyd. Mulch too. Super absorbent polymers sold under the brand names HydroSource and SoilMoist also absorb a lot of water. Heck, you could even try baby diapers! You can have these materials absorb water and then place them in a sunny location so they will release some of the water elsewhere.
However, if the 'real' cause of the problem has been identified and the problem has been corrected, why not just do nothing? I assume your raised beds drain water somewhere on the bottom or the bottom sides.
One reason that I am so frantic now is that we are in the wet season. Last night we had 1 3/4 inches of rain-----the day before 1 inch-----tomorrow we expect 2 inches------Friday is scheduled to be torrential!! They say something about a front settling on top of us. Of course, it will eventually pass on-------but, I am concerned about the problem now. I have dug a few trenches to make sure that it drains------but the soil is so wet I was hoping for some immediate help.
Thanks for all your suggestions. I may put some dry compost out today while it is not raining!
Shirleyd
Water exit holes of any type near the bottom and bottom sides -if you do not already have them- should aid greatly. Good luck!