Tips for Summer Maintenance
Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) provides resources, training and support to help Stewardship Grantees care for their projects. Routine maintenance is an important part of any clean water project. Use the tips and resources below to assist with your clean water project’s maintenance needs.
Please contact Urban BMP Technician, Rachel Funke, at rfunke@capitolregionwd.org or 651-644-8888 ext. 110 with your project questions.
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Virtual Rain Garden Maintenance Workshop
Please join us for a Virtual Rain Garden Maintenance Workshop on Thursday, August 12 at 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
This workshop is intended for residents with an existing rain garden. However, you are welcome to register and attend if you are interested but don’t currently maintain a rain garden.
Topics include:
- General maintenance tips
- Native plant recommendations
- Common Weed ID
- Q&A
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Rain Gardens
- Make sure downspouts are directed toward rain garden inlets. Keep inlets free of dirt, leaves, and other debris.
- Wait to add or move plants until the fall, after they have flowered and temperatures are lower.
- Water your plants as needed. Aim for about 1” of water/week if it hasn’t rained recently, and more for new plantings.
- Add mulch if needed. Gardens with bare patches can benefit from 2-3” of double shredded, undyed, hardwood mulch which will help suppress weeds and hold in moisture. Established gardens do not necessarily need mulch.
- Weed your rain garden at least once in the summer around Independence Day.
- Weed out tree saplings while they are small to avoid more work down the road.
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Shoreline Restorations
- Monitor shoreline for new spots of erosion.
- Weed at least once in the summer around Independence Day.
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Permeable Hardscaping
- Examine pavers or pavement for places where dirt has built up.
- Sweep or vacuum pavement or pavers at least once a year. Small driveways and sidewalks can be cleaned by sweeping or with a small shop vacuum. Regenerative air sweepers can be hired to clean large areas of permeable pavement.
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Green Roofs
- Weed as needed.
- Keep a close eye out for tree seedlings and remove them immediately, as tree roots can damage roofing components.
- Do not use herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals that could affect the roof membrane.
- Wait to add or move plants until the fall, after they have flowered and temperatures are lower.
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Underground Infiltration (Dry Wells)
- Examine pretreatment and remove any trash, dirt, or debris that has built up.
- Look for evidence of standing water that remains over 48 hours after a rainstorm. If you see standing water, contact CRWD to help troubleshoot the issue.
- If included in design, pipes should be jetted or hydro-vacced every other year or per manufacturer recommendations.
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Plant Selection & Maintenance
Plants are an important part of many clean water projects. The deep roots of native plants create space for water to soak into the soil and capture and filter pollutants. Native plants also require less maintenance, water and fertilizer than non-native plants and provide other benefits like food and habitat for wildlife and insects.
Look for details below about a native plant to consider for your garden and a weed to look for when doing your spring and summer maintenance. Happy gardening!
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Native Plant Feature
Spotted Joe-pye Weed
(Eutrochium maculatum)
Spotted Joe-pye weed is a perennial flower with a bright cluster of pinkish purple heads and whorled leaves. It blooms July through September and grows about 6 feet tall. Shorter cultivars are also popular.
Spotted Joe-pye weed grows naturally in MN along sunny shorelines and in moist soil. It does well in shoreline restorations and rain garden basins, where the soil stays wet longer. It also a magnet for pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
Above photo, right: CRWD, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly ( Papilio glaucus) on Spotted Joe-pye Weed at Willow Reserve
Above photos, left and center: Minnesota Wildflowers |
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Weed Watch
Crown Vetch
(Securigera varia)
Weeds can be defined in many ways, but in this case refer to a plant that spreads rapidly and outcompetes other plants, and offers few benefits like habitat, food sources, or water quality impact.
Crown vetch is a weed in the pea family with small pink ‘crowns’ of flowers. Its leaves consist of multiple leaflets that have small points at the tip.
Crown Vetch grows in many different types of environments and spreads rapidly by rhizomes and seed. It forms large colonies that cover and shade out other plants, which reduces diversity and wildlife habitat. One removal method to consider for large patches is to blanket the area with tarp or newspaper and cover with mulch. After a few seasons, the plants will have died back underneath and the area can be re-planted with native plants.
Above photos: Minnesota Wildflowers |
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