Maintaining a Rain Garden

Rain gardens are not completely maintenance-free. It is important to weed, clean-up and re-mulch the garden in the early Spring and Fall.

First Season Care
The most important work during the first year of the garden is watering and weeding. A young garden will need about an inch of water per week until it is established.

Weeding & Mulching
All gardens need constant weeding and replenishing of mulch. As the garden matures weeds will be pushed out by the growing plants. The mulch will need to be raked periodically and replenished or freshened every Spring.

Seasonal Clean-Up
In Spring you will need to clean-up the garden by removing any dead material and replenishing the mulch. In the fall it is important to remove some of the dead vegetation. You might wish to leave some of the material and seed baring plants for bird habitat in the winter however.