My garden this year has never been dry with all this rain. We have clay about 2' down, but I know in at least in one area that at 4' down you get through the clay and it turns into gravel/sand. If I put holes in various places in the garden essentially puncturing the clay layer would this help the water drain from the top layer of soil? Has anyone any experience or opinions on this Idea or other Ideas welcome thanks.
Clay and drainage. Ideas
- Thread starter catlad
- Start date
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Well I will give it a go and see if I can put a few holes in the clay and see if it improves the drainage.
Simply puncturing may not be enough as the small holes will 'heal'. It may work short term but is unlikely to last.
You would need to dig decent sized holes or trenches and back fill them with pea gravel before reinstating the turf.
You would need to dig decent sized holes or trenches and back fill them with pea gravel before reinstating the turf.
Use one of these:
http://www.hss.com/g/62720/Post-Hole-Borer-Manual.html
then as above, fill with gravel and replace the turf.
Andy
http://www.hss.com/g/62720/Post-Hole-Borer-Manual.html
then as above, fill with gravel and replace the turf.
Andy
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The builders merchants have the manual post hole borer which is what I was thinking of using, but the powered one might make it faster/easier if it will go deep enough that is thanks.
Deleted oops.
First i would take several trial holes and find out exactly how deep the clay layer is over the entire site (i'm assuming a modest garden not a stately home) and more importantly, where the gravel layer is and how deep that is.
Assuming some top soil, some 4 to 6 inches of clay and resonable depth of sand/gravel the next step for me would be to take out a number of trenches down to the sand/gravel level in a herringbone style. Trenches only need to be 4-6 inches wide, 3 to 4 foot apart.
Keep the top soil, loose the clay and use gravel to fill the trenches up, finish with original top soil, turf or re-seed. Labour intensive yes, but you don't need to do it all in one day and once complete you should be able to forget a soggy garden forever.
Photo below is overkill (it's a golf course job) but shows the general jist of it.
Assuming some top soil, some 4 to 6 inches of clay and resonable depth of sand/gravel the next step for me would be to take out a number of trenches down to the sand/gravel level in a herringbone style. Trenches only need to be 4-6 inches wide, 3 to 4 foot apart.
Keep the top soil, loose the clay and use gravel to fill the trenches up, finish with original top soil, turf or re-seed. Labour intensive yes, but you don't need to do it all in one day and once complete you should be able to forget a soggy garden forever.
Photo below is overkill (it's a golf course job) but shows the general jist of it.
Aqua I may end up doing something like that, I have dug a hole 18" wide 4' deep and will monitor that for a while and see if it stays clear or not. thanks
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