Help your garden recover from flood damage

Sadly, several of our park home and home insurance customers have been affected by the recent flooding – and it’s not just their properties that have suffered. As the flood waters begin to recede in some areas, many of those whose land was submerged will be facing a battle to rejuvenate their garden.

Apart from flowers, shrubs and trees that naturally grow in water – such as the willow – most flora can’t survive being soaked for a prolonged period of time. This is because the air that they require to survive is replaced by water, and they will begin to rot and die as a result. Even if only part of the plant is under water, it can still affect the branches and leaves above flood level.

In our bid to fight against water damage, Coast came across an article on the Your Home website recently that looked at ways in which green fingered flood victims can tend to their garden in the aftermath, and we’d like to share some of their top tips with you:

• Even when the flood water has receded, don’t walk on the ground while it’s still waterlogged as it makes growing conditions even worse
• Use wooden boards on top of the soil if you have to walk across it, as this spreads out your weight
• Specialist plant foods can boost greenery once it begins to grow back
• Wait at least three months before doing any sort of pruning activity, as it takes most plants a long time to recover from flooding trauma
• Leave your lawn until the ground is fully dried, then puncture the surface with a garden fork to encourage aeration
• Discard any edible crops as floodwaters can contain pollutants and raw sewage
• If this summer brings a dry spell, water any plants that were previously waterlogged on a regular basis as their roots will be weak
• Continue to use plant food for the next 12 months to support the long-term regeneration of your garden

Little things like garden items can be forgotten when thinking about flood risks. However, having a valid park home insurance or bricks and mortar home insurance could mean that the risk you forgot to consider is actually protected in the event of an accident or damage.

Coast can provide year-round cover for your property, come rain or shine. For a park home insurance quotation call Freephone 0800 614 849 or dial 0800 0234 843 to renew your home insurance with Coast.