Clay Soil - Poor Drainage

Alias_Omega

A bit of a start to the garden. I purchased a hollow tine aerator, then set on the garden. Filled or attempted to fill the holes with Sharp Sand, however it looks like I have just filled some of the holes, and then covered the grass in sand. It rained last night, therefore the sand has gone somewhere however the grit remains on top.

Following that, I then mixed some nice compost with some sand, and filled in the sunken bit in the centre..

In the front, I dug out the bramble bush (who plants a bramble bush #weirdo), turned over the soil and mixed in grass cuttings and compost.

The drainage, I received a £950 quote to install a channel drain over 7mts long, and leave me a 11" pipe just inside the grass to go to the garage. Well that's not going to happen, just a crazy price. Thinking of as a short term digging a channel across the top of the concrete, maybe 600-700mm deep and filling completely with gravel. This would act as a barrier from the water/concrete...

The problem I have is that we may go with a conservatory on the rear of the house, and everything changes then.

On a plus side, the rear fence has now been changed. Special thanks to my rear neighbours whom did it, without telling us. An even special thanks for our dog, the dog whom was let out into the garden then proceeded to go visit the workmen who where in our garden...

jungliemac

Will be following this with interest! We've recently moved to a new house and have clay soil. It's awful! Like a bog after any rain and heavy to try to dig. Just sticks to any garden tools I use. On the plus side I'm planning on building a clay pizza oven in the summer and won't have to go far to get the materials I need!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

We gravelled over our yard in 2007, as we live in a clay area. Never given a rrrr to mowing the lawn, so has been fantastic. We used to have floating water on the surface, and other, but two drains were dug, just through the clay layers, to the water table, and filled with loose grave, in a old bin. Since doing so, two other neighbours have done the same and our areas remain particularly well maintained!


Now when it rains, the yard still gets wet, but within ten minutes, the yard has drained and the torrent runs down the slope, into the local anti people society nature reserve, where some cats eat newts! The newts, not harmed can be found most weekends this time of year, in a field behind the hotel!

Alias_Omega

I have yet had the motivation to dig a big hole, and find how deep I need to go. Using the Aerator, I could notice that there was something hard under the first section of the grass, so maybe an old patio etc. I really do hope not, but I could not go down that far.

I do like the idea of an old bin, however I think a "Soak-away" crate wrapped is a better idea for me, as the stones in the bin will take place of what the water could do. Maybe stones, then the soak-away crate.

I guess once I know how deep to go, its a case of making it happen. Around the corner there is an advert for "mini digger for hire", which could easily be £50 to dig me a nice hole in the ground, however it will absolutely demolish what garden we have left... At least now with a deep gravel border, it will keep the water off the patio (which slopes to the house)...

I also could do with a skip...the garden at the rear could be scraped, and levelled off. I have lots of OSB to go too, as there once was an old 10x12 shed behind the garage..which had an OSB roof and floor.. I cant burn it, it makes a right mess... ive burnt most other things..

Neighbours love me...

zaax

Clay can go down quite away. Is there is a sewer / drain / ditch to put a drainage ditch / pipe to drain it to?

The most effective way to improve garden drainage in most situations where heavy clay traps water on the surface is to amend the soil to improve its soil structure. Adding composts and organic matter can have a dramatic effect over time on soil structure.

Blackjack_Davy

Your simplest and best solution would be to get some quotes to get a contractor in to lay some herringbone drainage pipes and a soakaway they can do it quickly and simply in a few afternoons, a week at most get a mini digger in much easier than the back breaking work of digging it all by hand and I've dug yellow clay by hand and its a nightmare.

Once you've sorted out the drainage then you can start planning what you're going to do next in the way of improving the soil which involves lots of organic matter and/or grit to "open up" the soil. But make no mistake its a lot of hard graft and effort so may be better to call in landscape contractors for that too.

Depending on your budget of course. But doing all that work by hand by yourself expect a lot of work and to be in it for the long haul.

Alias_Omega

Thanks for the replies, until i dig a hole i will not know what is in the ground..

Alias_Omega

Okies, a bit of a bump on this thread.

I only get time to work on the garden on a Friday after 4pm until dark, then a Saturday and Sunday. I arrive home from work at 5:30pm ishy during the week, therefore the clocks going back will be a bonus.

Tonight, I dug a small hole at the rear of the garden. I managed dig down about 1mtr (100cm), with the width of a spade. I made the hole slightly longer, to create steps in the hole as I have small-ish children. As I was digging, the hole was slowly changing colour and became easier to put the spade in. There has been no rain for a few days, therefore the garden does feel dryer, however softer in some places.

Digging down, I could not tell if I had reached under the "clay" layers, however I could see where there was some form of top-soil which was housing some of the grass. As I reached 1mtr down, the spade would easily push in, however it was still orange with black bits in it.

I filled the hole with water, and have covered it with a board for tonight. I did think about taking a picture, but I was in the garden, muddy and best not to walk through the house. If the hole is dry tomorrow, I can take a picture and let you tell me what layer is what, but I think its all clay and I may need to dig deeper/wider.

If it does drain away, this could be the depth needed to create a soak-away...

Alias_Omega

Pictures to match the post above..

The hole today is still full of water, I had to manually pump it out to see the bottom again. I decided against digging anymore today and put the board back over it.

Tomorrow plan is either - Dig Deeper/Wider or Fill it in...

I could square it, then gravel it... then clay/compost/sand it and hope this drains down...but the water goes no where...so just a hole in the ground.

Hole








Hole Contents





Garden - Not great

As mentioned above, I have aerator'd the grass, inserted sharp sand and then put a compost/sharp sand dressing to raise the lower bit.





Behind Garage