If you don’t plan on saving the plants, you don’t have to be as cautious with them. You could cut larger plants to make them easier to remove. However, consider digging down to remove weed roots whole. To remove sod, dig around the area using a spade, then use the spade to divide the sod into strips about 1 ft (0. 30 m) wide. Pry up the edges of the strips to sever the roots, then roll them up by hand.
If the soil is dry, rent a rototiller from a nearby home improvement store. Push it over the trouble spots to turn up the soil. If large parts of your yard are wet, you are better off rototilling the entire yard or installing a drainage system. Fill in small spots that are uneven or easy to dig up by hand.
Mix the soil together using a spade or rototiller. When you’re done, fill in the rest of the hole as needed with more soil.
A slope of 2% means the elevation of the soil changes by about 1⁄4 in (0. 64 cm) over 12 in (30 cm) in distance. A steeper slope more easily redirects excess water. Measure the slope of an area by planting stakes and running a string between them. Dig soil from higher areas to move to lower ones. You may need to work on the rest of your yard as well to form an effective slope.
Watering the lawn will also help compact the soil mixture. Use the moisture to check how well the sand and compost help solve the drainage issue.
Consider covering fresh grass seeds with a 1⁄4 in (0. 64 cm) layer of topsoil followed by an equal layer of straw to protect them from birds. If you’re looking for something different, get some moisture-resistant plants like ferns, phlox, violets, arrowwood, and elderberry. These plants can help dry out your yard even if the soil composition and grade aren’t a problem.
As long as you don’t add too much compost, it won’t cover up grass and other existing plants in your yard. Many wet spots are already barren, so they will stay barren until you grow something, such as sod or grass. You may need to wait a couple of seasons to see any change in the soil. The organic material needs time to break down and mix into the yard. If your yard is in bad shape, consider renting a rototiller to mix compost about 10 in (25 cm) deep into the soil. Doing this will destroy a lawn but have a much more immediate effect on drainage. Consider mixing sand or peat moss into the soil as well if you plan on rototilling the entire yard. It helps drain water from poor, clay-heavy soil.
When the drainage pipe works correctly, water seeps through the fabric. The pipe then carries excess moisture away to a lower part of your yard. The French pipe works best when it spans from the wet areas in your yard toward drainage spots like a storm drain or swale. A swale is a shallow ditch that may contain a drainage outlet. Check online or at a home improvement store for a French drainage pipe. If you can’t find one, make one by poking plastic holes in a regular pipe.
Landscape paper releases water while preventing gravel from getting into the tank. It enables the tank to store water and gradually release it so your yard doesn’t get too wet. Shop online or at local home improvement stores for the supplies you need.
Another option is to get an above-ground cistern, which is just a big barrel to store water collected from smaller rain barrels. A cistern is a great way to save money by repurposing rainwater. Use it wherever you don’t need clean drinking water, such as for laundry, toilets, or watering plants.
Keep hardy plants in the high-moisture areas, usually at the lowest points of the garden. Some options include goldenrod, elderberry, swamp rose, and blue vervain. Place less moisture-tolerant plants in the other parts of the garden. Try using sage, daylilies, and lavender, among others. Since changing a yard’s grade can get expensive, gardens are usually paired with systems like plastic drainage pipes or rock channels. Look into installing a French drain or swale.
Water is supposed to move downhill, away from your home, and into a drainage outlet. If you see standing puddles or water flowing back toward your home, then the yard’s slope could be to blame. Individual spots are much easier to treat by filling them in, amending the soil, or growing absorbent plants.
If you suspect a leak, try turning off your home’s water supply to see if your water meter continues to increase. For leaky municipal lines outside your home, test the water for chlorine and other treatment chemicals. Springs often occur in hilly areas with clay soil. If you have one, consider preserving it. You could also drain it using a French pipe or another method.
Mark the level of sand after 1 minute, then mark the silt level after 2 hours. Mark the clay level after the water in the jar clears to begin measuring the proportion of each component in the soil. Another way to test absorption is by digging a hole 1 ft (0. 30 m) deep and 4 in (10 cm) wide. Fill it with water to see how quickly it drains. If it takes more than 4 hours the second time, then amend the soil with sand and compost. [16] X Research source If your soil isn’t at the right composition, amend it by mixing in sand and compost.
You can rent an aerator from most home improvement centers. An aerator is a machine that removes a plug of soil. The air that enters the holes loosens the soil to make it more absorbent.
Another common problem in some parts of the world is marshland. You may not be able to drain marshland without government clearance first. It can also be tough to drain completely. Usually, you need to either build a rain garden or install wells and drains to deal with these issues.
