1/3 Flower bulbs are in danger of rotting due to a soaking wet winter
The rain has been pouring down for weeks and our gardens can hardly cope with the enormous amounts of rainwater. Things are increasingly flooded. And that can be disastrous for the flower bulbs you planted in the ground last autumn.
“Flower bulbs that have not yet rooted can mold and rot,” says Oisterwijk garden expert Casper Boot. “This happens when they are planted in very wet soil, or when the soil remains soaked for a long time and does not allow all the water to drain properly.
Crocuses, blue grapes, tulips and hyacinths, forester Frans Kapteijns from Oisterwijk also fears that the spring bloomers will have a hard time if the bulbs remain in the wet. “But if the rainwater can subside, they will grow in the spring. And if you want to save the flower bulbs, you can dig them up and dry them, if you remember where you planted them.”
“Those roots just rot away.”
Plants that are not used to a watery environment can also be hit hard by the wet weather. “This mainly concerns non-native species such as phlox and hosta. Those roots then simply rot away,” says Frans.
In the spring, the forester normally sees countless pink flowers peeking up in his green backyard. “I’m curious whether they can withstand all that water,” he says.
“I can see leaves appearing on the butterfly bush again.”
But he also sees hopeful things. “Some daisies are raising their heads again, and I also see leaves appearing on the butterfly bush. The yew is also looking good and there is much more moss, which thrives in a moist environment.”
The forester himself is also inconvenienced by the persistent rain. “My garden is completely flooded, and it is now even threatening to come under the house, so I have called in professionals to pump out the water.”
His house is in a residential area built between two stream valleys. This means low ground, which means that groundwater can rise very quickly. Frans’s backyard is located on a lower part, so that the run-off water from the surrounding gardens even flows into his garden. He doesn’t venture outside without rain boots.
“I actually have a swimming pool now, just waiting for the ducks.”
“I actually have a swimming pool now,” the ranger says, laughing. “I’m waiting for the ducks, moorhens and grebes to land here, because it is ideal here for them.” It is very exceptional, this high water level due to all the rain. “The climate is changing, it shows again. There is simply no way to fight against it.”
Wet or dry, according to garden expert Casper Boot, it is a great idea to green your garden as much as possible. “So fewer tiles, so that the water can drain away during extreme rainfall. And also ensure that the water can drain away by, for example, creating a wadi, a lower part of your garden where the water can go.”
