Planting in rain

Hi, I have several new additions to plant and am used to gardening in rain, as the climate here is often wet, but it has recently occurred to me that maybe planting is best left until dry spells. I have heard the rain can cause the soil to be compacted. I imagine different plants suit different conditions but I will list below what I am hoping to plant out tomorrow (I have left them all in the garden for the night, they were displayed outdoors at the garden centre but I have placed them in a cardboard box, though without a "roof" so exposed):

Anemone blanda (Winter windflower)
Eranthis cilicia (Winter aconite)
Dwarf Iris
Primula veris (Cowslip)

Any general advice also appreciated. Many thanks.

 

Thanks. I must admit I am getting fed up. I have no objection to working outdoors in wet weather, and often go for long walks in wet and windy conditions, even when its snowing: where I live we get pretty wild winters, and even in summer it is often wet so I have just adapted and get on with it. However, although I planted the above, I have a range of other plants (mainly primulas, daffs, heathers and hardy annuals) which, although I know they will be fine with the weather once tey are in, I'm loath to plant as at the moment every day is just continual heavy rain, and very very strong wind (the type that means you get up on a morning to find your dustbin is half way down the street, chairs have been knocked over etc). I do not want to risk shocking and killing the plants for the sake of saving time, yet they are just huddled in plastic bags on the patio, trapped between heavy objects to stop them blowing away. My fear is they will just rot or go to waste. Does anyone else here have any experience of gardening (specifically planting) in very wet, or windy (as its the storms that I'm most concerned about) climates? Anyone living in Scotland or one of the islands? Should I just go for it and stop worrying?

 

I live on a wet and windy island Simon, as you can see from my avatar box. So windy at times that my aluminium framed greenhouse has heavy toughened glass in it and it's bolted down to a concrete base, just to be sure it stays where I put it.

There's no reason why you can't plant them now but it would be best to push/weave some canes through the plants into the soil to stop them being ripped from their roots or out of the ground. It's only in recent years that I've learnt to automatically do this with new plants/shrubs. I also do this with some small established shrubs during the winter months when the wind is at it's worst.

 

Thank you, this is a very interesting reply. One day I would like to try something like your aluminium framed greenhouse. If you have time to answer again, how should I go about pushing/weaving canes through the plants? I am mainly planting the small size plants you find in garden centres and supermarkets, rather than ones above knee-height. Do you mean to push them literally through the root ball, and/or weave them around the roots? Thanks.

 

I will take some pictures tomorrow Simon as it's easier to show you than explain. I would plant the ground hugging plants that you have listed above, they are more likely to survive in the ground than in the plastic bags. If the daffodils are flowering then leave them in the pot until they have died back. If they are just bulbs then it is to late to plant them now and they should be left until autumn.

 

I've pushed these canes into the soil weaving them through the branches as I've pushed them in. That way it will stop any movement when the wind is high. It's also best to put something on top of the canes to protect your eyes when bending near the plants. I will take the canes out during the spring and summer months. This idea isn't any good for ground hugging plants but ideal for small shrubs as the one in the picture.


You can see here both my shed and greenhouse are on concrete and the greenhouse is bolted down on the inside.

 

I would not plant anything in the rain. You will compact the soil, whatever it's type.

 

It's easy enough to fork over the area after planting Redwing. If I was to ignore my garden every time the weather was bad I wouldn't achieve anything out there at any time of year.

 

I've planted a load of things in rain and never had a problem. In fact I think the plants receive less of a shock as they're not going into dry soil and then being saturated from a watering can.

 

Thanks for these pictures. So, the canes are not attached to the branches by string or anything?

I would never be able to construct or maintain a shed and greenhouse like the ones you have in your picture. I am a complete ignoramus as far as putting together sheds and so on is concerned. What I have in mind is much more modest - the construction of a cold frame and maybe banging a few nails in some planks of wood to create a few beds, if I need to.

 

No the canes aren't attached to anything Simon, just pushed in between the branches and into the ground.

The shed I had built for me. I built the greenhouse with some assistance from my son. It's not difficult with decent instructions that come with the pack.