Does your lawn flood all the time? Is there water pooling on your pavers? Yard drainage can be a big problem for a lot of homeowners. There are many reasons for this but the good news is there are plenty of ways to fix it. Of course, you could bring in a professional landscaper. But, that can cost a fortune. Instead, if you are on a budget, you can try some of our do it yourself yard drainage techniques.
Reasons for Bad Yard Drainage
It is more common than you think to have bad yard drainage. Indeed, it is a problem for a lot of new and old homes. It is best to find out what the reason for your bad yard drainage is so that you can sort the problem. So, let’s take a look at why this might be happening to your yard.
You Have Clay Soil
If you are a gardener, you will hear a lot of bad things about clay soil. Essentially, it is very wet in the winter and it can turn brick dry in the summer. Clay soil might be the reason you have a yard drainage problem. This is due to the soil having tiny particles and they cling together. In other words, water is not able to pass through. This can lead to water pooling in your yard.
The Lawn Has Thatch
Everybody cuts their grass when it starts to get long. But, do you dethatch your lawn? Thatch can appear on any lawn and it is simply old grass clippings, as well as dead moss and debris. A lot of people do not realize that it is bad to leave this on the lawn. Over time, it will become thicker and the water is unable to be absorbed. You really need to use a lawn rake on a regular basis to stop this from happening.
There is a Lawn Slope
A lot of lawns have a slope and this can be leading to bad drainage. In other words, the water is running down the slope but it has nowhere to go. This means that it can pool and create a bog at the bottom of the slope, often turning a lawn into a mess during bad weather. Instead of leveling out your lawn, which can be an expensive process, we will get to the do it yourself yard drainage solutions we have in the next section.
You Are Over-Watering
Do you have automatic sprinklers to water the lawn? This can actually be a cause of waterlogged and wet lawns, as well as overall bad yard drainage. Leaving sprinklers on for a long time means that the lawn is constantly wet and when there is too much water, this is going to be a problem. As a result, you will notice pooling after the sprinklers have been on. You should reduce the amount of time the sprinkler is on for.
Reasons to Try Do It Yourself Yard Drainage
When you have a drainage problem in your yard, it can seem like the time to bring professionals in. But, this is not always going to be the best option for everyone. Here are some reasons to try do it yourself yard drainage.
Avoid a Huge Project
When you bring in landscapers or professional companies to figure out what to do with your yard, the project can soon escalate. Of course, they want to do a great job and this means doing a lot all at one time. Since they are professionals, you may feel like you have no choice but to agree.
The good thing about do it yourself yard drainage solutions is that you can keep the project quick and small. Simply choose the solutions that suit your yard and you can complete them in your own time. There is no reason to dig up the whole yard all at once.
Save Money with Do It Yourself Yard Drainage
Most importantly, you can save a lot of money attempting do it yourself yard drainage. You can choose a solution that fits your budget and you will not have to pay for labor costs. Instead, you can keep your outgoings low by purchasing the materials yourself. Most of the materials you can need for this type of project can be bought in local stores, as well as bought in bulk online. Both, are going to save you money compared to professional services.
Have a Fun Do It Yourself Yard Drainage Project
Let’s not forget that renovating your yard is a fun project! You can add a lot of new elements to your yard that are attractive, such as plants. In addition, it is going to improve your lawn and you will be able to say that you did this all by yourself. You can have a project to work on during the spring and summer months.
Do It Yourself Yard Drainage – Ways You Can Solve the Problem
Now that you have figured out why you have poor drainage in your yard, it is time to figure out what you can do about it. Here are some simple ways you can solve the problems you are experiencing.
Choose Water-Loving Plants
If you find that there is a lot of muddy parts to your lawn, perhaps it is time to ditch the turf and get some water-loving plants. This can be just what you need to take away from of the water and improve drainage. There are certain types of plants that are going to thrive in areas with a lot of water, as well as shaded parts of the yard. Thus, you can dig up the area and plant them. Not only is this going to help with the drainage, but it is also going to add some nice plants to your property.
Aerate the Lawn
If you want to have a good-looking lawn, it is going to take some work. There is more than just cutting the grass during the summer. Instead, you have to prepare the lawn for bad weather too. For example, it is easy for your lawn to get waterlogged after periods of heavy rain. This is particularly true if you have clay soil. This means that water cannot drain away effectively and the water can pool on the top of the grass. What you end up with is a really muddy and unattractive lawn.
But, this does not mean you have to give up. One technique that can help relieve this problem is aeration. This is a process that is going to allow air and nutrients to enter the soil if it has become compacted. In addition, it is going to help with do it yourself yard drainage.
In order to get started, you are going to need a digging fork. This is going to be the cheapest way to aerate your lawn. All you have to do is dig the fork straight into the lawn and create a lot of deep holes. Work in lines to ensure that there are enough holes for aeration.
Create a Swale
If you have a slope at the bottom of your yard, you can create a swale. This is going to manage the water runoff and avoid having a muddy spot. All you have to do is digging down and remove the turf, creating a drain. This is going to allow all of the water to gather here when it runs down the slope.
To make a swale more attractive in your yard, you can fill it with stones. This can make it appear like a border around your yard and not like it is a do it yourself yard drainage solution. You can also fill it with rocks and slate; whatever you like to make it appear good for your property.
Install a French Drain
Sometimes, you are going to have to work a little harder to solve your drainage issues. If the problem is really bad, you can install a French drain. This is a do it yourself yard drainage solution that will take a little bit more labor. But, it can solve the problem once and for all.
In order to create a French drain, you need to find a good spot. Generally, this is going to be somewhere that is badly affected by water and that is going to direct it away from the bad areas of your yard. You need to start by digging a long trench and this is going to move the water from one spot to the other. You may have to dig down around 16 inches deep.
Next, you are going to fill the trench with a couple of inches of gravel. This is going to help with drainage. On top of that, you should insert a perforated pipe to direct water and subsoil away. Then you can fill the rest of the trench with gravel. You can either leave the gravel showing or put soil and turf on top of the French drain.
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