How Gardeners Can Deal with Floods
2023-08-22
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1Water is required for plant life. But what happens when there is too much of a good thing?
2That has been the case in many parts of the world this summer.
3Scientists say extreme rainfall happens more often now as storms form in an atmosphere made warmer by climate change.
4Nick Goltz is head of the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut.
5He said too much water can mean dead plants in a garden.
6Goltz explained that flooding cuts off the oxygen supply which leads to root-rot diseases.
7And then plants cannot pull enough water to survive.
8The result is yellow, weakening leaves, which would usually show a plant's need for water.
9But after flooding, those same signs mean that roots under water cannot function in really wet conditions.
10Avoid walking on wet soil if your garden has been affected by flooding.
11Wait until the soil has mostly dried before looking at the damage.
12Adding any weight or pressure to wet soil can cause even more oxygen to be pressed out from around struggling roots.
13A plant with just a few signs of damage may recover, but a plant that is completely weakened probably will not, Goltz said.
14He added that plants with strong, deep roots - like trees and yearly returning plants - have the best chances of recovery.
15Annuals are plants that live for less than a year.
16Their roots are not as deep and they are at risk if flooded.
17Goltz advised removing annuals if they look unhealthy.
18Plants weakened or stressed by flood water can more easily get diseases and unwanted insects.
19So keep an eye on them and treat problems as they come, which could be months later.
20Broken tree branches should be removed immediately.
21But save any major removal of leaves and branches for when conditions improve to avoid further weakening an already stressed tree.
22Flooded fruits, vegetables, and other crops should be considered unsafe and not eaten.
23Goltz said, "If the part you're eating touches the water, then it's unsafe," even if washed or cooked.
24That is because in addition to bacteria from standing water, runoff from nearby gardens, chemicals, and other waste could be present, Goltz added.
25However, if your garden was flooded but the food part of the plant was not, "then it can be eaten," Goltz said.
26But even then, he said, it is best to wash and cook the food part.
27After dealing with your plants' needs, turn your attention to the flooded soil, which will also need some care.
28Flooded soil loses nutrients and can damage the way water flows through it.
29Mixing in compost will help on both counts and mixing in sand will improve the way water flows through it as well.
30If you live in an area that easily floods, there are steps you can take to avoid or lessen future damage, such as growing vegetables in higher areas or raised beds. Or you could direct water away from the plants you care about most.
31I'm Gregory Stachel.
1Water is required for plant life. But what happens when there is too much of a good thing? 2That has been the case in many parts of the world this summer. Scientists say extreme rainfall happens more often now as storms form in an atmosphere made warmer by climate change. 3Nick Goltz is head of the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. He said too much water can mean dead plants in a garden. 4Goltz explained that flooding cuts off the oxygen supply which leads to root-rot diseases. And then plants cannot pull enough water to survive. The result is yellow, weakening leaves, which would usually show a plant's need for water. But after flooding, those same signs mean that roots under water cannot function in really wet conditions. 5What you can do 6Avoid walking on wet soil if your garden has been affected by flooding. Wait until the soil has mostly dried before looking at the damage. Adding any weight or pressure to wet soil can cause even more oxygen to be pressed out from around struggling roots. 7A plant with just a few signs of damage may recover, but a plant that is completely weakened probably will not, Goltz said. He added that plants with strong, deep roots - like trees and yearly returning plants - have the best chances of recovery. 8Annuals are plants that live for less than a year. Their roots are not as deep and they are at risk if flooded. Goltz advised removing annuals if they look unhealthy. 9Plants weakened or stressed by flood water can more easily get diseases and unwanted insects. So keep an eye on them and treat problems as they come, which could be months later. 10Broken tree branches should be removed immediately. But save any major removal of leaves and branches for when conditions improve to avoid further weakening an already stressed tree. 11Are fruits and vegetables safe to eat? 12Flooded fruits, vegetables, and other crops should be considered unsafe and not eaten. 13Goltz said, "If the part you're eating touches the water, then it's unsafe," even if washed or cooked. That is because in addition to bacteria from standing water, runoff from nearby gardens, chemicals, and other waste could be present, Goltz added. 14However, if your garden was flooded but the food part of the plant was not, "then it can be eaten," Goltz said. But even then, he said, it is best to wash and cook the food part. 15Repairing the soil 16After dealing with your plants' needs, turn your attention to the flooded soil, which will also need some care. Flooded soil loses nutrients and can damage the way water flows through it. Mixing in compost will help on both counts and mixing in sand will improve the way water flows through it as well. 17If you live in an area that easily floods, there are steps you can take to avoid or lessen future damage, such as growing vegetables in higher areas or raised beds. Or you could direct water away from the plants you care about most. 18I'm Gregory Stachel. 19Jessica Damiano reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 20________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22garden - n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown 23rot - v. to slowly decay or cause (something) to decay 24function - v. to work or operate 25compost - n. a decayed mixture of plants (such as leaves and grass) that is used to improve the soil in a garden 26________________________________________________ 27What do you think of this story? 28We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 29Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.