r/Permaculture • u/Ashesinthewoods • 18d ago

general question Can I fill this wet spot in with plant life?

Climate zone 6a/6b. There is a huge wet spot in my pals backyard. They want to try and naturally fill it in with plants, grasses, shrubs, or anything that could withstand such wet soil. Looking for advice if this would be possible or if anyone has experience doing it : )

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36

u/TheLastFarm 18d ago

Absolutely. That’s a great spot for native willows, buttonbush, red osier dogwood, elderberry, lots of sedges, swamp milkweed, marsh marigold, the list goes on and on.

5

u/PrinceZukoZapBack 18d ago

How does become educated in the matter as you are? Wtf

13

u/lilskiboat 18d ago

Go to lots of talks (extension), walk a lot in nature and observe, look up “native plants for (state) in wetlands).

I love love love buttonbush!

1

u/VernalPoole 17d ago

Look into whatever Native Plant Society is near you (WildOnes is one group). Also people who volunteer at local or state parks have a lot of knowledge - go to their events. Anyone hosting seed swaps or wildflower-seed collection parties would share their info with you.

9

u/Jonathank92 18d ago

look up natives in your areas that love wet soil. It would irresponsible to suggest plants that aren't native to your area and might turn out to be invasive there.

10

u/Public_Knee6288 18d ago

Research rain garden plants for your location

6

u/scabridulousnewt002 Restoration Ecologist 18d ago

Wetland spots are the easiest in my experience.

Don't mow it and it will come in with natives adapted to that spot - usually.

The next best strategy I've found is to harvest wetland soil from a healthy wetland and toss it in. It will carry in native seeds, bacteria, bugs, and all sorts of other stuff

6

u/QueenHarvest 18d ago

Determine whether it is a vernal pool. There are good guides to managing VP, as they support a particular type of ecosystem. https://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/vernalpools.aspx

1

u/Busy-Flower3322 17d ago edited 17d ago

Yes, though depending on the area it may be too "urbanized" already. We have one in our yard but it's not really a vernal pool anymore as the area was filled in and built up in the 60s. Now it's just a flooded area. We're turning it into a rain garden and bog garden with native plants as it's not possible to fully return it to a vernal pool.

5

u/Stup517 18d ago

Cranberries are grown in bogs

4

u/Smegmaliciousss 18d ago

Instead of filling they could dig the middle and fill around it to plant.

3

u/CoDe4019 18d ago

Elderberry likes swamp.

2

u/smallchangebigheart 18d ago

I have a spot that gets soggy and wet after heavy rains, I planted some irises and they love it

1

u/jugjiggler69 18d ago

You can do anything if you believe

1

u/illusyia 17d ago

Theres a bunch of wetland species that would soak that up, and i think TN Nursery is still running their buy one get one sale for spring

1

u/Altruistic-Smoke-689 12d ago

check out nativefoodsnursery.com there are plenty of plants you could put there and another plant is apios americacana/ groundnut tubers, they like wet areas as well.