This summer has been dry, but yet I have noticed one or two places in my yard that have stayed moist. If we had gotten normal rainfall this spring and summer, these places would probably be waterlogged. I think the spots developed because we removed some plants and changed some beds’ actual layout. Clearly, these places are poorly drained what ever the cause, and that is an issue I need to address.
Dealing with poorly drained soils can be a challenge to gardeners. While plants certainly need moisture, they also need some air in the soil. In poorly drained soils, water fills the tiny spaces between the soil particles, pushing air out of the soil. Plants die because they can't draw oxygen from the soil. Poor drainage is often the culprit in the death of landscape plants such as azaleas, dogwoods and junipers.
So, how can you correct the situation if you have areas that are poorly drained? Amend the soil by adding compost or other organic material such as peat moss. Apply a layer four inches thick in the problem area and then till it into the soil. This procedure works well in some heavy clay soils. The organic materials help separate the tiny clay particles and allow water to pass through the soil more easily.
You can raise the level of the bed by adding soil and organic material. This is called a berm. Berms increase the height of the water column. That allows gravity to do the work of pulling excess water away from plant roots.
Finally, you may have to install some type of mechanical correction, such as a dry well. A dry well is a hole dug to below the plants' root level filled with gravel and topped with soil. It gives excess water some place to drain. Or you might find it necessary to channel water out of the bed using underground drain pipes, called French drains.
Remember, most landscape plants do not flourish in poorly drained soils. Improving drainage in your yard is one key to successful landscaping.
Posted by at July 31, 2007 01:52 PM | TrackBack