Rainy season gardening
Getting a garden through the rainy season
From April to October, Warri can get more rain in a week than some cities get in a month. Plants love it, until their roots start to drown.
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8am to 6pm
Drainage first
Check every pot has a hole and is raised off the ground on bricks or pot feet. Water that sits in the saucer rots roots in days.
In beds, mix in sharp sand and compost so water runs through, and dig a shallow channel to lead heavy rain away from the beds.
Move the sun lovers
Succulents, aloe and cacti hate long wet spells. Move them under the eaves or onto a covered veranda until the rains ease.
Feed, because rain washes food away
Heavy rain washes nutrients out of the soil. Give flowering shrubs like hibiscus and ixora a little slow-release feed once a month.
Watch for pests and mould
Snails love wet nights. Pick them off after dark or ring beds with crushed eggshells. Remove yellow leaves so mould does not spread.
Plants for this season
Good choices right now
Questions
Readers also ask
Should I stop watering in the rainy season?
For pots under cover, no; they do not get the rain. For beds and pots in the open, only water in dry spells.
Can I plant in the rain?
Yes, early in the rains is a good time to plant shrubs and hedges. Avoid planting into waterlogged ground.
Keeping houseplants happy in the harmattan
The harmattan is milder in Warri than up north, but the dry air and dust still brown the tips of ferns, palms and calatheas.
Come and wander
Open every day from 8am to 6pm on Jakpa Road, Effurun. Free parking, shade, cold zobo, and staff who will tell you honestly if a plant suits your house.