"The Data Rat" wrote in message
news:kVZCe.47239$up5.21778@lakeread02...
Hi all,

LONG time since I have been here. I decked in most of my back yard after
amending, tilling, replacing and spending a fortune on the lawn. No
matter what I put down or replaced it with, it turns to clay. It is heavy
clay soil that will not support grass. I left about a 10' area for the
doggies and have 5' flower beds around the perimeter of the house and
deck. Not much going on in the flower beds either.

The problem is the smell. We have had these torrential downpours every
afternoon for the past week and the soil smells so bad I go out back just
to pick up after the dogs and that's it. What can I put on it to keep the
smell down? My yard borders a drainage canal and and it has that stinky
swampy smell. I even bought an outdoor fan. I was thinking baking soda.
I don't care if it kills the few weeds that grow. There is actually a
bluish green algae growing on it. Would watering it with city water
(contains chorine) help? I am in Eastern Virginia.

Thanks!

Suzi


A friend of mine lives in a development where the builder somehow screwed up
a drainage ditch and caused a similar problem with smell. If I were you,
I'd first call your town hall and speak to someone involved with building
permits. Since they are the people who are at least marginally involved with
building things right, perhaps they can direct you to someone else in the
beaurocracy who can investigate whether someone has blocked drainage
someplace along the canal.

Incidentally, *some* overly "lively" water is caused by various sources of
fertilizer, like farms, private lawns and sometimes even animal crap.

If you don't get intelligent answers from your local people, try calling
your state's department of environmental whatevers. If you get a runaround,
hang up, call back, lie just a little, and tell them you're thinking of
having a fishing pond dug on your property. If nothing else, that'll get you
connected to someone who knows something about water and drainage.