Table of Contents
How do I start a rain garden?
How to Build a Rain Garden Choose the Site. Your rain garden should be located at least 10 feet from the house. Prepare the Soil. Once you’ve identified the new garden’s location, remove the sod and dig a shallow depression approximately 6″ deep. Choose Native Plants. Native plants are the best choice for rain gardens.
What do I plant in a rain garden?
Try a mix of wildflowers, perennials, ornamental grasses, natives and other plants recommended for your USDA growing zone. They should be able to tolerate both wet conditions when rainwater fills the garden and dry conditions when rain is scarce.
When should I plant a rain garden?
Although a rain garden can be installed anytime the ground is not frozen, spring and fall are the best times to start your garden. In spring, the soil is easier to dig and the rainy weather means less initial watering.
How deep should my rain garden be?
A typical rain garden is between four and eight inches deep. A rain garden much less than four inches deep will need an excessive amount of surface area to provide enough water storage to infiltrate the larger storms.
Are hostas good for rain gardens?
Hostas are hardy, reliable perennials that are easy to grow and will serve as a long-lasting addition to your rain garden. Once established, the plant can withstand heat and mild droughts, but are a perfect plant for your rain garden, as they prefer wet soil.
What can you plant under a downspout?
Plants for Creating the Downspout Garden Plan 1 Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum): Zones 4-8. 2 Pink turtlehead (Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’): Zones 3-7. 5 Dwarf sweetflag (Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’): Zones 5-8. 3 Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica): Zones 5-9.
Can you plant bulbs in a rain garden?
The flowers emerge in June and the bulbs do especially well in wet areas, thus it’s recommendation for the rain garden. This plant likes full sun, but partial shade is okay, so don’t hesitate if your other flowers overshadow this Iris a bit.
Can you plant vegetables in a rain garden?
As long as rain does not run off large, paved areas, chemical-laden lawns, or roofs made of lead or treated wood, it is safe to use on vegetable gardens.
How do you take care of a rain garden?
Key Maintenance Tips Water regularly to promote plant growth especially during the first two years and dry spells. Inspect site following rainfall events. Prune and weed to maintain appearance. Replace mulch as needed. Soil fertilization is unnecessary as rain gardens are designed to absorb excess nutrients.
What is the difference between a bioswale and a rain garden?
Rain Gardens versus Bioswales The main difference is that the bioswale moves water to somewhere else in the garden, while also allowing some (but not all) of it to infiltrate. A rain garden is specifically meant to increase infiltration. Bioswales are often used to convey water to a rain garden.
Do rain gardens attract mosquitoes?
Will a Rain Garden Attract Mosquitoes? Water should stand in a rain garden no longer than 24 hours after the rain stops. Mosquitoes cannot complete their breeding cycle in this length of time, so a rain garden should not increase mosquito populations.
What size rain garden do I need?
Size – Rain gardens are typically 7 to 20 percent the size of the impervious surface generating the runoff entering the garden. Measure the square footage of the impervious area (length x width); then multiply this by 0.07 (7 percent). Determine a length and width of the rain garden that best fits the site.
Do rain gardens really work?
Rain gardens are effective in removing up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals and up to 80% of sediments from the rainwater runoff. Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground. It typically holds water only during and following a rainfall event.
Are lilies good for rain gardens?
Intense red, orange, pink, or yellow flowers with large, paddle-shaped foliage lend a tropical feel to the rain garden. Canna Lily can grow quite tall — up to eight feet depending on the cultivar — and can spread four feet. If your rain garden is saturated most of the time, try Canna glauca, a water-loving Canna Lily.
How do you build a rain garden in clay soil?
Try using a 2:1 ratio of the drainage area to the surface area of your garden (most rain gardens in better soils use approximately a 4:1 ratio). For instance, if your garden will be draining a 200 sq. ft. of rooftop, plan the surface area of your garden to be 100 sq.
Can you plant trees in a rain garden?
Most of the vegetation planted in rain gardens consists of shrubs and herbaceous plants, but you can also install trees in a rain garden if you wish. However, you must pick species that can adapt to the conditions present in or near the rain garden if you want to give the trees the best chance of thriving.
What do I put at the base of a downspout?
Downspout extensions will help your downspouts direct water to a specific place away from your home’s foundation.Let’s get into the six best methods we’ve found for extending your home’s downspouts. Aluminum Extension. Buried Drain Pipe. StealthFlow. Decorative Splash Blocks. Roll-Out Drain Sleeves. Rain Barrel.
How do you landscape a downspout?
Fun and Useful Downspout Landscaping Ideas Create a dry creek bed that looks great dry or wet. Stack flat rocks under the gutter downspout for a beautiful dry waterfall. Decorative splash blocks turn into a water feature. This idea makes a statement and brings character to the home.
What can you plant near gutters?
What to Plant in Gutter Gardens Strawberries. Greens (lettuce, spinach, and colorful salad greens) Snap peas. Radish. Mint. Basil. Rosemary. Pothos.
