Save the World's Water with a Rain Garden
Marie Wakefield The indigenous soil and forests of many regions accumulate, sieve, and gradually release fresh, clean water to streams, wetlands, and estuaries. The varieties of life in marine and fresh water, as well as on land, require clean water to thrive. As cities grow, they encroach upon and change natural settings; wild areas are replaced with infrastructure and other hard surfaces. During periods of precipitation, more water flows from these man-made surfaces than natural areas, carrying oil, fertilizers, pesticides, sediment and other pollutants downstream. In fact, much of the pollution in streams, wetlands and rivers now comes from storm-water (water flowing off developed areas). The increased volume of water and allied contaminants from developed land are detrimental to water resources and harming aquatic life. One possible solution is a type of landscaping called the rain garden- WHAT IS A RAIN GARDEN? A rain garden functions like a native woodland by collecting, absorbing, and filtering storm-water runoff from manmade structures that don't allow water to soak in. Rain gardens are designed as low depressions that: Can be formed and sized to fit your landscape. Are constructed with soil mixtures that allow water to infuse quickly and support healthy plant growth. Can be filled with a variety of plants to fit the environs. Rain gardens are one of the most versatile and effective tools in a new approach to managing storm-water called low impact development (LID). An LID project may incorporate several tools to soak up rain water , reduce storm-water runoff , and filter pollutants. Some examples of these tools include permeable pavin , compost-amended soils, vegetated roof , rainwater collection systems and rain gardens. Rain gardens offer numerous benefits, including: Sieve oil and grease from driveways, pesticides and fertilizers from lawns, and other pollutants before they reach the storm drain and eventually the waterways. Decrease flooding on adjacent areas, overflow in sewers, and erosion in creeks by absorbing water from impermeable surfaces. Provide homes for beneficial insects and birds. Augment the amount of water that soaks into the earth to recharge local groundwater. Maintaining the rain garden Rain gardens need maintenance just like any landscaping, to perform well and look good. However, a well-designed rain garden needs minimum care. If it doesn't rain , water your plants until they are established. Once the deep root system has grown into the soil,they will probably survive a drought. But until then, just like any newly planted perennial , they need water to get started. Watering Tips Water deeply, but infrequently, so that the top 6 to 12 inches of the root zone is moist. To know if you're applying enough water , dig down 12 to 18 inches off to the side of the plant a few hours after watering- don't disturb the roots. Use soaker hoses or spot water with a shower type wand. Mulching Mulch prevents erosion, controls weeds, replenishes the organic material in the soil, and improves infiltration. Every year check the mulch layer and, if needed , add shredded or chipped hardwood or softwood to the sides and coarse compost to the bottom to maintain a layer that is about 2-3 inches thick. Mulch can be applied any time of the year, but assuring an adequate mulch layer for the dry summer and rainy winter months is particularly beneficial. Weeding Rain gardens will still soak up and filter storm-water even if weeds are present. Soils in rain gardens have good structure, so weeds should be easy to pull by hand, especially in the spring when the soil is moist and the weeds are small. Dig or pull weeds out by the roots before they go to seed. Break strong water flow. The area where water flows into your garden can, during strong storm , erode soil, mulch, and plants. A few strategically placed rocks, boulders, or stone dams in this area of strong water flow can break the force and prevent this from happening. Don't let sediment, soil, sand, or debris flow into your rain garden. It can bury the plants, destroy the absorbency, and ruin all your efforts. Any rain garden is better than no rain garden. If you don't have a rain garden, runoff from your rooftops, lawns, and driveways will continue, with rain and snow melt, contributing to water pollution rather than curing it, as nature intended. Every little bit that you can keep on your property helps! About the Author
For delicious landscape and other landscaping ideas visit http://www.better-landscaping.com/Site_Map.html Click here to view more articles by Marie Wakefield. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
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