Rainwater Creates Gardeners

By Lamar James, U of A Cooperative Extension

First posted on 07-03-2008

Rainwater creates gardeners

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansans who lack the green thumb to successfully cultivate a more traditional garden may find solace and success in a rain garden, says Katie Teague, Washington County agriculture extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

“The biggest reason people enjoy these gardens is they are so low maintenance,” Teague said.

A rain garden is a landscaped depression, used to collect runoff from a roof, driveway or yard. The garden’s bottom is flat, allowing the rainwater to distribute evenly among plants. Within 48 hours, the water soaks completely into the ground, strengthening the roots of the plants and supplementing the groundwater supply.

The design of a rain garden is based on how much water will drain to the area. The ideal conditions are between 100 and 300 square feet in size, between 4 and 8 inches deep. Any smaller, and the runoff might overflow the garden, defeating the purpose of collecting the rain water. Any larger, and some of the plants in the garden will not receive enough water to thrive.

Plants chosen for a rain garden should be native species with the ability to survive in extremely wet and extremely dry conditions. The roots of these plants grow deep into the soil and can survive periods of drought without requiring any extra irrigation.

“In two years, the garden shouldn’t need any extra watering, weeding or fertilizing,” she said.

The ideal location for a rain garden is a place in the yard affected by a downspout - where rainwater tends to collect after a storm. The most typical placement of a rain garden is near a house or other structure to catch runoff from the roof or gutter system. However, the rain garden should be at least 10 feet away from any structure to prevent damage to the foundation.

Rain gardens can be extremely helpful in rectifying any standing water problems gardeners may face.

“Not only do they add a beautiful landscape feature to your yard, but they can also solve a standing water problem,” Teague said.

One mistake many gardeners make is attempting to cultivate a rain garden at the site of the standing water. The purpose of the garden is to allow water that collects to soak slowly into the ground within 48 hours. To solve a standing water problem, the garden should be cultivated upslope of the affected area, to catch the water and allow it to drain before collecting. The garden could be cultivated down slope of the standing water, if a method of irrigation is employed to transfer the water into the garden.

Another misconception some gardeners have comes from the name “rain garden” itself. Throughout most of the year, these gardens will have dry beds - to the surprise of some gardeners expecting something more alike a pond.

Rain gardens also boast many environmental benefits. These gardens protect local streams from urban rainwater pollutants, increase the groundwater supply, provide habitat for local birds and beneficial insects and help maintain steady creek flows through times of storms or drought.

For more information on rain gardens, visit http://www.uaex.edu. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.