Learn how to dry overwatered soil with this informative guide and prevent waterlogged conditions and diseases.
If you have been wondering why your plants seem to be wilting or dying all the time, among many other causes, it could be overwatering. One of the most common reasons why plants die out is overwatered soil. Waterlogged soil essentially means that water does not drain off completely from the soil as it should. This condition ultimately causes root rot, drowning plants. But how to dry overwatered soil? Keep reading to find out more.
How To Know If Your Soil Is Overwatered?
Generally, normal garden soil tends to dry out in a day or two, but this depends on the specific soil type, extent of waterlogging, and environmental conditions. For indoor plants, you should always let excess water drain out of pots by choosing ones with drainage holes.
Recognizing the signs of overwatered soil is pretty easy. Check for the signs listed below.
- If the soil is wet even after hours and days of watering.
- When you start to see, your plants developing yellow or brown leaves alongside mushy stems.
- Bugs or fungi seem to be gathering around your plants.
- Small or large puddles seem to be forming at the soil surface.
- If, on physical inspection, you find dark, damp soil that holds its form and feels sticky when squeezed. It will be compact and have a plastic-like consistency. This is a clear indicator of waterlogged soil. Generally, dry soil immediately crumbles when pressed hard, and soil with the right amount of moisture forms into a ball but ultimately crumbles if pressed too hard.
- When hours of sunlight do not warm the soil enough to speed up evaporation, you must take further steps to dry out overwatered soil.
How To Dry Overwatered Soil Quickly?
1) Turn and Aerate your Soil
When you notice overwatered, waterlogged soil, this is the first step you should take. Turning and aerating the soil can eliminate less severe waterlogging in your garden, as it disperses excess water throughout the garden bed. Turning the soil also involves breaking up compacted areas of the soil to improve drainage and aeration. Another way to aerate waterlogged soil is by adding speed-treating agents like hydrated lime to the soil, alongside compost, to help the soil absorb any excess water. Moreover, organic materials like compost and mulch also help boost plant growth in the garden besides reducing the density of water in the soil and increasing soil health.
If possible, and if you are trying to dry out waterlogged soil indoors, you could set up fans around the soil to facilitate evaporation. Remember, though, this method may not be as effective.
2) Add Absorbent Materials
Besides organic matter like compost, mulch, or well-rotted manure, you could also sprinkle sawdust, and straw or place newspapers or paper towels over the overwatered soil surface to soak up excess water. The best part of these materials can be easily removed once they have done their job. These materials reduce the possibility of soil runoff by regulating soil moisture levels and even preventing waterlogging during heavy rainfall.
3) Remove Anything Causing Drainage Issues
If waterlogged soil is only a recent occurrence in your garden, start monitoring your garden and all surrounding areas for drainage issues. There may be issues like overflowing drains, leakage from irrigation pipes, or groundwater flooding. In case of overflowing drains, your local water company can help you fix them. In case of debris blocking any drains or pipes after heavy rains, you can easily fix waterlogging by removing these pollutants.
Remember to always use gloves and proper protective gear when cleaning up debris and fixing overflowing issues.
4) Change The Soil Composition
There are some soil types and compositions that have more water-retaining abilities. While this may be a good thing for some plant species, it can lead to overwatered soil. To change the soil composition and structure to a more balanced one and to prevent waterlogging, you could either choose to go the natural route. This includes adding compost or manure into the soil to help bind soil particles better and create more pores in the soil to improve drainage. Besides that, adding coarse sand or perlite can also improve drainage and aeration of the soil.
Pro Tip: Evaluate which fertilizer you are using and how it may be affecting the soil structure and composition. You need a more precise approach to fertilizing your plants rather than spraying them broadly.
5) Conduct Soil Cultivation Methods
If you have had several garden beds for quite a long time and they have been getting waterlogged, it may be time for some soil cultivation. This simply refers to digging up these established beds due to prolonged compaction. In case the soil has been getting compacted for a long time, the pores in the soil will eventually start to close up, preventing good drainage. For soil cultivation, you could either up the topsoil with a spade or rake. Feeling fancy? Get a rotavator (digging machine) to do soil cultivation. However, ensure moderation as too much cultivation could damage the soil structure.
Pro Tip: Do not walk down on wet soil to avoid pressing it down and compacting it more. The looser the soil is, the more aerated it will be.
6) A Dedicated Drainage System Can Help
If no natural ways of drying out overwatered soil seem to work for you, consider establishing a solid drainage system instead. There are several ways of doing so. The first one is as simple as digging up ditches of about 3 feet with sloping sides such that excess water easily runs off and collects in it. You could either do this manually with help or consider using a small trenching machine.
If you have severe drainage and waterlogging problems, you should get a piped drain installed by professionals. This involves perforated pipes in trenches covered with gravel. But there’s a catch. Your state may have strict laws regarding where excess water can flow. Ensure that ditches or streams are nearby as suitable endpoints for the water.
Pro Tip: If your area typically receives heavy rainfall, consider installing rain sensors in your sprinklers or switching to a drip irrigation system.
Wrapping Up
If nothing seems to work because your garden soil is chronically waterlogged, you should consider raising the garden beds and pots to keep excess water away from plant roots and enjoy your garden despite difficulties.
