Flooding - advice needed

[squeezyjohn]

Hello everyone,

The water table has been close to the surface of the lower lying parts of my plot for a few weeks now and last night's rain tipped the balance and just under half my soil is underwater now.  It's not a river flood - simply the water table - there doesn't seem to be anywhere for it to drain to now.

With more rain forecast over the weekend - I just wondered if this is going to be leeching all the nutrients out of my soil.  It flooded a bit last year too and this years crops in those areas seemed a bit down on what I was expecting.  Apart from building the beds up with matter brought in from outside which I am slowly trying to do anyway - are there any tips on what I can do to maintain my soil's structure and nutrients as much as possible?

Cheers

Squeezy

[squeezyjohn]

[goodlife]

There is nothing much you can do about it now...just keep off from the soil until it worst have drained away. If you walk on soil that is that wet...that is surely going to make matters worst and damage the soil structure.
But in future...winter green manures will help keeping some soil structure in place and hold on to those vital nutrients...once you turn the green manure 'in'...it will return the 'good stuff' back into soil and be available for the crops
Mulching during late autumn/early winter will keep all the good critters happy underneath..slow down rain's 'wash down' effect..again..helping to keep all the vital nutrients longer in the soil.

Our water tables are up to almost soil level too...but each plot here is surrounded by hedges..so rarely the water remains on surface for long. More deep penetrating planting..trees,hedges there is..better the water will drain back into deeper levels.
If you already don't have 'mixed' planting in place..some fruit trees and bushes dotted around the plot is good for the soil too.

[goodlife]

Oh..to add..
As soon as the soil become even little bit workable..rake some blood, fish and bone meal, some wood ash (if you can get hold of it) on surface of the beds..maybe some seaweed meal too ('horse stuff' shops sell it quite reasonable price) and over seed the treated area with Phacelia seeds, they are very quick growing types. Once they have germinated, grown 3-6 inches tall, turn the soil over and the greenery will start rot down quickly, soil being available for crop couple of week later.
Phacelia will almost like 'pre-digest' all the nutrients from fertilizers so that what they give back once dug in, is much more 'crop friendly' form and will result much better growth.
AND if you want to make it even better and your purse strings will allow it..treat the soil with 'rock dust'..it is wonderful stuff and best soil supplement you can give...as it is so slow releasing...floods might flush some of the minerals away, but one treatment will take several years to come out of the small grit that the 'rock dust' comes as.
some good sites... http://www.greenmanure.co.uk/
http://www.binnsoilnutrients.com/ ...you can find same stuff under B&Q brand verve..http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-care-watering/compost-sand-bark/specialist_compost/Verve-Volcanic-Rock-Dust-10Kg-11907558?noCookies=false

[squeezyjohn]

Thanks Goodlife!  All very helpful.

[Digeroo]

Because of leeching I am expecting to need more fertilizer this year.  I am used to nutrients leeching out, and do not like bare soil so always tend to cover with green manures.   The theory is that it mops up the remaining nutrients before the winter.    I dug a small patch today which had green manure in it and was pleased just how loose and easy to work the soil is and how many worms.   They do not seem to mind the rain.   

The water affects the amount of oxygen in the soil.  Not sure what effect it has on the bugs, fungi and bacteria in the soil I presume some drown.   I feel I have very little understanding of what is going on in the soil.  I keep it well fed and add bio-matter and just hope it will do the job.   

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's a massive job, but if this is likely to be more than just a one-off it's worth thinking about putting in raised beds. I managed three last year before I did my back in. More going in soon, it's definitely worth it.

[squeezyjohn]

Just as I thought that the water table had gone down enough to start doing things on the plot to try and get it ready for this year .... 2 nights of heavy rain - and it's back up as high as it was 4 weeks ago. 

This is going to be hard going.  I took Robert's advice and started to move soil on the workable parts to try and build up the growing beds while it was not waterlogged - but you're right it IS a massive job - I can't believe how small a barrow-load of soil looks in the big scheme of things!

I'm not really asking for advice any more as it's pretty clear that raising the land up is the only real option .... but it's mighty frustrating.  It also needs to STOP RAINING!