Raingarden Care and Maintenance

Fig 1; Curbside Raingarden used to filter local runoff from the street and yard. Note the stone edger near curb inlet being used to for erosion control.

Once established raingarden maintenance is fairly low only needing some limited upkeep each year. To be sure your rain garden is functioning at its best as stormwater tool, stormwater needs to be able to flow into it. Keep an eye on the inlet at the yard or street for buildup. If leaves, grass clippings etc. are accumulating take the time to remove them. If the ground is starting to erode in the inlet area, installing some rock rip rap or a stepping stone or two may be needed to reinforce the area.

As well as being functional, raingardens should be aesthetically pleasing. Early on you will need to do some weeding until the plants get established and fill in the raingarden basin. How much will depend on whether you seeded, planted from plugs or pots, or in combination. It will also depend on how naturalized or manicured you want the raingarden to look. You may need to move, remove, or add plants to get the appeal that you’re looking for. If some plants are too tall, you can move them to the back, or remove them altogether. Some species that grow too aggressively like coneflower may need to be thinned-out.

Spring Checklist

Add new plants, if needed
Cut and remove dead stalks and seed heads remaining from the previous season
Divide and move plants if they are crowding the garden
Prune shrubs, if necessary, in March or early April
Remove silt and debris from inlet
Replenish mulch to 3 inches thick

Let KG Landscape Management Inc help you with your raingarden project. We have the technical expertise and the build experience to provide you with a great looking raingarden project that will benefit your yard for years to come.

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