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FIND YOUR DREAM HOME OR APARTMENT
My back yard is actually a swamp during the rainy season. The drainage is terrible and the grass doesn't grow or survive from one season to another. There is a large tree in the middle that shades the entire back yard that maybe stunting the grass. The landscape drops about 1 to 2 ft about 30 ft from the house to the boundary fence and that's where the water is staging for long periods of time. What can I do to help this situation and create an useable back yard.
My yard is a slope that has a 30 degree grade and is covered with tall grass and rocks. There are three sections that has slow running water from the property above us making a swamp area which seems to be a great growing spot for trees. Over the years the trees in these three sections have grown out of control but seem to be an oasis when the weather gets warm. I don't know what to do with this land that covers an area about 40,000 sf. I'm not sure whether to keep it natural or back fill the whole thing. Back filling is to costly...guess it'll stay that way for sometime.
TO RIDING 421:
I WOULD TRY PUTTING SEVERAL PVC PIPES UNDER GROUND AND LET IT DRAIN DOWN THE SLOPE AND RE-DIRETC IT FROM YOUR YARD TO AN AREA THAT IT WILL REMOVE IT DOWN FURTHER ON YOUR SLOPE OR MAYBE IT WILL GET RID OF IT ENTIRELY AS IT RUNS DOWNHILL AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT AREA. START FROM THE DEEPEST PART OF THE AREA OF WATER HOLDING AND START YOUR PIPES THERE, DIG THEM DOWN LOWER THAN YOUR WATERING DEPTH. MAKE SURE THE ENDS OF THE PIPES ARE OPEN. YOU CAN BURY THE BEGINNING OF THE PIPEDOWN TO ABOUT HALF OR A QUARTER STICKING UP TO COLLECT THE WATER FROM THE DEEPEST POINT IN YOUR YARD. YOU MAY HAVE TO PUT A SCREEN TO COLLECT ANYTHING THAT MAY CLOG THE BEGINNING OF EACH PIPE. I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU. LET ME KNOW IF THIS HELPS...
MUFFETTG1
TO LADDYBUCK:
SEEING THAT YOUR SPOT IS MADE OF CLAY, I'D TRY TO DIG TRENCHES DOWN AT THE END OF IT AND LET IT RUN DOWN PAST THE WATER PROBLEM. IF YOU PUT RAISED BEDS THERE PUT SOME PIPES THERE TO DRAIN IT , THEN PUT YOUR RAISED BEDS THERE ON TOP OF THE PIPES. BUT MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT COVER THE BEGINNING PIPE OR THE END OF THE PIPE, SO IT CAN CONTINUE TO DRAIN PROPERLY.
MUFFETTG1
For KittyO
Without knowing where you live (what zone?), I can only give you a few generalized suggestions. First, when you have the leaves raked (they should be raked, which will scarify the soil a little), save them (in a compost bin) to use to replenish your disappearing top soil...It's nonexistent because you are removing the materials that make it. Trees that are healthy, especially pin oaks, should not need to be trimmed. In fact, "topping" and other forms of extensive trimming stress and weaken trees. Talk to a certified arborist before trimming again. If you do not have a foraging population of deer, then I'd suggest planting such plants as anemone sylvestris, hellebores (evergreen), Japanese painted ferns, and other shade-loving plants (depending on the look you want, perennials or woody plants are rife with possibilities). Go to the library and get a basic book on shade gardening (many abound). Also, if your library can get a copy of Armitage's book on perennials, you'll have a reference for many candidates for your garden. In addition, his writing style is easy to read.
You can use what they call mushroom compost, which is a mix of horse manure, soil and composted material as mulch to improve the soil, feed plants and act as a compost (for that growing season. There are many plants like daylilies, hostas, coral bells (which come in a wide variety) and lily of the valley (which spread like crazy). If you start small ......... like fixing a few beds under trees, then "branch out" , adding new beds and plantings each year you will eventually have the yard you desire, and not spend a fortune.
