Waterlogged Garden

matthewh

All,

After some help!

Just purchased a new build that is awaiting turf to the rear garden. It was completed in December 2009 - the garden was under 6 inches of snow on the day we got the keys!

Anyway, upto the beginning of December the garden had diggers running over it, then it was flattened and stored topsoil added.

Now when it rains large water pools appear and take ages to drain away - attempting to walk across it is very difficult as in large areas you end up sinking.

I was intending over the Christmas period to run a path down the side of the garden and had all the materials delivered - and stored in the Garage.

The property is now tenanted and the tenant wants use of the garage for her car, so I feel that I should put down the path as soon as possible.

I intend doing this, this weekend, but have now had a call from the tenant saying it is like a pond again (and more rain is scheduled for tomorrow! )

What can I do to get some sort of drying out for the weekend - Friday is supposed to be dry.

I was thinking of going round with a broom and trying to brush away some of the standing water from the area I wish to work in and then go down this area with a garden fork running deep spikes through it.

Would this achieve a quicker drying out for the weekend - or am I best to either remove any hope of doing it this weekend, or carrying on working in the mud?

Any thoughts?

Many thanks

matthewh

valk_scot

I would have thought you'd need to sort out the drainage problem properly before laying any sort of path. Or laying turf come to think of it! It's always worth getting these fixed before wasting money on expensive materials that are just going to be flooded in turn. Sounds as if you need some drainage channels and a sump dug first.

conradmum

Yes, I didn't know what to reply to this as it sounds like a BIG job. I think the diggers going over the site have compacted the subsoil to hardpan. Water will have difficulty penetrating this, especially if it's clay. No wonder any topsoil turns to mud.

I would take professional advice, I'm afraid. I don't think this is going to be cured by anything light you can do to the surface.