Are you a plant lover? Do you want to incorporate water-loving plants that soak up water in your gardens because of spring floods? At Stone Solutions, we’ve got you covered for that.
Maine can be intimidating to new gardeners and those with green thumbs moving from warmer climates because of its severe spring floods and relatively brief summers. The good thing is that gardening in Maine is no more complicated than anywhere else.
Some plants have the impressive ability to soak up a significant amount of water. Apart from moisture-sensitive species, these generally accommodate a broad range of conditions.
Why Should I Incorporate Plants That Soak Up Water?
Rainwater not soaked up or seized by plants in suburbs and cities becomes hazardous runoff. Runoff is water that moves faster across roads and sidewalks, causing flooding and deterioration while picking up pollution. It then washes into waterways and shorelines, causing devastation such as poor water quality for aquatic and human life. The soil might become wet due to compression or a high water table, where the upper level of groundwater is near the soil surface. Clay soils are soaked in the cold season and dry in the warmer months. However, if you install drains, you’ll work with your soil and pick plants that thrive in wet conditions.
Few plants can endure and sustain long stretches of waterlogging or flash floods. Still, many plants can indeed be managed to grow successfully in indefinitely spongy soils if there is some oxygen in the wet ground. Because clay soils have characteristics similar to moist soils, choosing plants for clay soils may also be effective. Keep reading to find out the four best plants to soak up water in Maine!
1. Ferns
Many different ferns can handle excessive surface moisture and can be sown near wetlands or in immensely wet areas.
Some ferns, such as the Christmas fern, demand dry shady conditions, whereas any of the mentioned ferns will thrive in damp conditions:
- The cinnamon fern
- Ostrich fern Royal fern
- Lady fern
- Painted fern
- Holly fern
Most ferns have high-density root systems and water-absorbing foliage, enabling the plants to soak up large amounts of water. The longer the fern, the more moisture it will absorb.
The Ostrich fern is an excellent plant for soaking up water because it can grow to a height of 3 – 6 feet. They have enormous root systems that pump water up and transport it via the dense foliage, allowing them to soak up a lot of water.
2. Lily of the Valley
The Lily of the Valley is an annual shrub that continues to spread through all the underground stems with erect sprouts. They blossom in the spring and early summer months and have been in existence dating back to at least 1000 BCE.
These gorgeous, aromatic plants thrive in partial shade and spongy soil. They are simple to grow. Plant them in the late autumn since the weather conditions enable them to transition into winter hibernation. The plant’s single rhizomes are known as pips. After November or December, they can be split, and the new divisions planted.
It’s essential to remember that this can be a poisonous plant, so keep it away from pets and children. This plant will soak up a lot of water if wet spots are in your yard.
3. Iris
The iris blooms brilliantly from the late winter season to springtime. Throughout these points of time, they can add color to your garden. Once set up, they demand little to no care and multiply rapidly. They also soak up a large amount of water.
The most prevalent version in the United States is the bearded iris. Their average height ranges from 3 inches to 4 feet. They flourish in blue, purple, white, and yellow tints, blended with different types as well.
The yellow Harvest of Memories Tall Bearded Iris grows to be 3 feet tall and can beautify any body of water. Japanese iris prefer shallow water but sustain on higher ground if the soil remains moist and are the best perennials for humid and wet soils.
4. Betula Nigra River Birch Tree
As the name implies, this tree was discovered thriving along the banks of the river throughout the central and eastern United States. These trees soak up water and leave behind better ground.
The bronze-colored bark is one of its most distinctive characteristics, as the peeling, textured bark of the trunk is witnessed all year.
The diamond-shaped, sharpened leaves begin as a bright green, then turn to a beautiful golden yellow in the autumn before uncovering naked branches and eye-catching bark in the winter. River birch is not only one of the few birch varieties that tolerate waterlogged soil, but it is also resistant to drought, deer, and air pollution.
Tips and Tricks For Growing Water-loving Plants on Your Landscape
The simplest solution to runoff is to minimize the number of surfaces that allow water to stay stagnant. However, major earth-moving or technological initiatives are not necessary to make your landscape spongier. Comparatively tiny and systematic changes to an area’s topography can help to guide water toward where you guide it to slow it down, spread it out, and let it sink into the ground. Your downspout can become a rain garden. Rain gardens are heavily forested, typically only a few inches deep, and utilized as an absorption site for water. Water temporarily fills them throughout storms and then absorbs in for several hours to a day.
Do you want to incorporate water-loving plants into your garden? Stone Solutions Maine will help you design the perfect sponge landscape for moist and wet soils. Contact us today to learn more about our landscaping services.