Hello,
we have a newly built house and are experiencing waterlogging issues in the garden.
There is about 50 cm (20 inches) of topsoil, which already contains some clay, followed by approximately 1.5 m (5 feet) of a thick clay layer.
The clay layer only allows water to pass through very slowly, so the garden remains waterlogged for about 1-2 days. Excess water can drain away through a French drain (soakaway) as long as there is a slope, but the soil also settles unevenly.
However, waterlogging still occurs in the soil itself, especially within the top 40 cm (16 inches), which plants do not tolerate well.
We cannot loosen the clay layer even with a rotary tiller. How can we improve the soil? Would it be sufficient to spread, for example, 10 tons of river sand over approximately 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) and incorporate a soil activator by tilling it in?
What else can we do?
Would it help to plant deep-rooted plants for one year, till the soil again next year, and then finally plant the lawn?
we have a newly built house and are experiencing waterlogging issues in the garden.
There is about 50 cm (20 inches) of topsoil, which already contains some clay, followed by approximately 1.5 m (5 feet) of a thick clay layer.
The clay layer only allows water to pass through very slowly, so the garden remains waterlogged for about 1-2 days. Excess water can drain away through a French drain (soakaway) as long as there is a slope, but the soil also settles unevenly.
However, waterlogging still occurs in the soil itself, especially within the top 40 cm (16 inches), which plants do not tolerate well.
We cannot loosen the clay layer even with a rotary tiller. How can we improve the soil? Would it be sufficient to spread, for example, 10 tons of river sand over approximately 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) and incorporate a soil activator by tilling it in?
What else can we do?
Would it help to plant deep-rooted plants for one year, till the soil again next year, and then finally plant the lawn?
F
FrankChief17 Apr 2024 11:21We had a very clayey or dense, heavy topsoil.
By mixing in sand, we were able to loosen it up enough that infiltration now seems possible.
However, with 10 tons of sand added, the soil level is now too high.
How can we properly lower the soil level?
By mixing in sand, we were able to loosen it up enough that infiltration now seems possible.
However, with 10 tons of sand added, the soil level is now too high.
How can we properly lower the soil level?
C
chand198617 Apr 2024 12:44FrankChief schrieb:
How can we properly lower the ground level?Excavation means lowering the ground or raising everything else (which is hardly possible, right?).What can I say? You lose the excavated centimeters of extra volume for infiltration. However, your measure might have improved the remainder enough so that it is still better after excavation than before adding the sand.
Otherwise, it’s obviously frustrating, but I don’t see an alternative. The plan simply wasn’t thought through completely… it happens.
F
FrankChief17 Apr 2024 13:00@chand1986 Won't the sand gradually wash down into the deeper sand layers over time?
How long do you think it will take for most of the sand to be washed into the deeper layers due to rain and so on?
If we remove the top layer (about 3-5cm (1-2 inches)) at the end of this year or next year, will most of the sand already have settled into the deeper layers by then?
Also, don’t grass roots displace the sand and cause it to wash down into the deeper layers more quickly?
How long do you think it will take for most of the sand to be washed into the deeper layers due to rain and so on?
If we remove the top layer (about 3-5cm (1-2 inches)) at the end of this year or next year, will most of the sand already have settled into the deeper layers by then?
Also, don’t grass roots displace the sand and cause it to wash down into the deeper layers more quickly?
N
nordanney17 Apr 2024 13:13FrankChief schrieb:
@chand1986 Won't the sand gradually wash down into the deeper sand layers over time?
How long do you think it will take until most of the sand has washed into the deeper layers due to rain, etc.? It will mix in. However, this can take years.C
chand198617 Apr 2024 13:14FrankChief schrieb:
If we remove the top layer (about 3-5cm (1-2 inches)) at the end of this year or next year, is most of the sand already mixed into the deeper layers? How does the sand get there? You mentioned that the layer underneath is clayey and dense. Sand won’t just flow down into it over a year with some water.
FrankChief schrieb:
Don’t grass roots displace the sand or cause it to wash down into the lower layers faster? Roots always loosen the soil—the thicker and longer they are, the more so. But what’s the plan here? Grass roots don’t penetrate very deep into clayey soil and tend to be quite thin. You’ll end up removing the grass layer as well. Does that make sense?
If you want to try loosening plants, plant a lot of annuals with strong roots. Annual lupins grow very deep. Yellow mustard also works well. It grows quickly, improves soil aeration significantly, and in the end serves as a green manure. Afterwards, you can compost the plant material and remove it if needed.
F
FrankChief17 Apr 2024 13:38@chand1986 We have seeded the lawn again.
The idea was basically that in the future we could simply remove the lawn plugs (for example, with a lawn coring machine) and then be 3-4cm (1-1.5 inches) lower right away, which might already be enough, or we could remove a thin layer of soil to achieve the perfect height.
The idea was basically that in the future we could simply remove the lawn plugs (for example, with a lawn coring machine) and then be 3-4cm (1-1.5 inches) lower right away, which might already be enough, or we could remove a thin layer of soil to achieve the perfect height.
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