On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 04:18:23 +0000, Joseph Chong wrote:

What are some good web sites etc... for drainage of yards and gardens. In
Vancouver BC it is so wet all winter my lawn and garden of my 'new' house
(new to us, it is 70 years old and the garden was negelcted the past ten
years easy) is a lake after a rain. I think the soil is very compacted and
I will spike it in the spring. The soil is very thick and quite clay-like.
I tried to dig a dry well and that didn't go over well when it rained for
a week before I could get any gravel to fill it, it mike make nice pond
now.... I will fill it when the rains stop. Any ideas about soil
admendments to improve drainage? Sand? Gypsum? I don't want to do drainage
tile unless it is absolutley necessary.

jc


One thing that affects drainage is topography. Does water naturally
drain toward the garden? If so, then change the topography by building up
the garden beds so water slopes away or move your garden to an area where
the water does drain.

The best way to amend clayey soil is to add organic matter. Sand is not
on the recommended list of amendments. Gypsum would add lime. This you
don't need.

Get a soil test done and ask for the lab's advice on how to amend the soil.

Another solution might be to try raised bed gardens.