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Revamping soggy area of garden

2

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  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763
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    You could plant water loving vegetation (https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=303)
    This may help a little.
    Just watch out for slugs........
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
    edited 4 December 2014 at 2:25PM
    That was one of my thoughts, ie re planting water-loving vegetation - but research revealed just how few edible water-loving plants there seem to be and I'm determined my garden is all going to grow food. Slam into a brick wall time then.....

    So, I've duly had a quote through to "put matters right" there and its a bit eye-watering:eek:, but I cant really see any other way, as the area concerned represents about half my growing space in this garden. I could ignore an area that size if I had a big garden, but with a very standard-size one that isn't an option without severely restricting how much food I can grow.

    Working on a "cost per wear" basis in effect (ie the one used to determine whether clothes represent good value for money), I would say that estimate I have received comes to somewhere between £100-£150 per year of estimated usage I expect to get from that garden. So, put like that, I should get my money back and more..iyswim.
  • I was quoted £10,000 to makeover my garden. DIY exc. laying the new turf it was more like £1,750
  • Regarding the digging up of existing topsoil (aka The Swamp:rotfl:) and heavy clay layer underneath - when would be a suitable time of year to do this?

    I'm imagining that maybe it will now be necessary to wait until the spring to do this when, hopefully, The Swamp will have dried-up a bit??

    Should think it will be easier to dig up dry topsoil, rather than swampy topsoil?

    Also, buying in new topsoil at this time of year (by weight) would probably mean that part of that weight I was paying for would be water that it was waterlogged with (ie rather than topsoil itself) iyswim?
  • I_have_spoken
    I_have_spoken Posts: 5,051 Forumite
    edited 5 December 2014 at 7:36AM
    I did mine at Easter, then you get the benefit of a full season in the replanted garden.

    You need 8yd skips for the spoil, no point in faffing about. I'd also consider hiring a mini excavator,rather than digging with a spade, but that depends on access.

    Top soil should come in 1 tonne bags, but I recommend selecting bags in the builder's yard as the percentage of sand can be variable.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741
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    £150 buys a lot of vegetables!

    Personally, I would not go for removing much, only what would be required to insert a French drain leading to the land drain, assuming that's working. Then I would put more on top to raise the level above the path, leaving room for another drain/gulley at the side of the path so it's not flooded.

    I would retain the extra soil with railway sleepers or something similar that would allow water through. Walls are expensive. Assuming you have a bit of top soil already, you only need to go up about a foot.

    Yes, driving a digger over your garden at this time of year isn't recommended, and anyway, there's no need.

    Topsoil comes in varying qualities. Ask to see exactly what you'll be getting and inspect it before they dump it. Some suppliers will try to pull a fast one, as they did at the school where I worked, leaving me to sort it out. They are less likely to do this if they are reputable, and if you look as if you know what you're doing!
  • There seem to be levels and levels of topsoil from what I can see. I've been told that the topsoil I've bought in previously was too fine (as I recall) and I need some with a bit of "grit??" in it to allow for drainage.

    What would you be looking out for topsoil-wise Dave?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741
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    Yes, a bit of grit is useful in soils which don't contain it, but the main thing is to avoid too much clay. I'd guess your better imported soil might come from Pembrokeshire, but there are sand & gravel pits not far from you too, so there's obviously localised soil which isn't all stodgy clay.

    A certain level of clay is OK for many purposes, but probably not if you already have plenty. Lots of clay in the soil near me, say in Crediton, but it's still good for arable crops.

    I used to buy all my top soil from a place on top of the Mendips which produced bagged composts for the trade, so I was spoiled. That meant I could buy it weed free too, if I wanted, and I bought grit separately and mixed it as I went along according to purpose. But I had a trailer, and as much of the cost is in transport, I avoided all that.
  • Alias_Omega
    Alias_Omega Posts: 7,912
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    There's no shortcuts when dealing with clay soil in an area of high rainfall, just get digging and lay in the field drains...

    d155b9d9a849be586fadbcfe75be9dec_zpsedb85d7f.jpg



    Where do your field drains go?

    We have a massive clay issue, the grass/soil is squelchy after a period of rain. Was thinking of a French drain, but that's a bit hardcore and means smashing concrete.

    Even with 2 full size apple trees, the garden suffers from poor drainage..
  • I_have_spoken
    I_have_spoken Posts: 5,051 Forumite
    edited 5 December 2014 at 5:55PM
    Where do your field drains go?

    The garden is on a 'tilt' with the high at the top left and low at bottom right. The drains were -

    Two perforated tubes laid in gravel down the LHS to catch water migrating down the hill with one extending around the FL of the lawn to catch run-off.

    One tube starting at the back and looping around the lawn to join another drain along RH front of lawn. All the pipes dump into dry-wells which overflow to the drains taking water from gutters.

    Here's a contractor laying heavy grit before re-turfing, the idea being that water can migrate underneath the turf to drain so the lawn isn't a marsh after rain.

    77d43e6d-f0a5-4bdb-b637-574b366cdc90_zpse1a974db.jpg

    Before, rushes and creeping buttercups :(

    IMG_0709_zpsabea3c9d.jpg

    After, result! :)

    IMG_0955_zpsd45614d2.jpg
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