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Ringo 27-04-2004 03:03 AM

Grading
 
I know this has been covered before a bit but I thought I would drive
people nuts by asking again....

We have a 50 by 50 back yard that is a true mess. To match it, we
also have a sliver of land on the northern of the house that is
horribly graded. It seems that a previous owner dug it all up to
place into the ground drainage hoses but never properly filled the
dirt back in. and the drainage hoses are useless...but more on that
in a bit.

The backyard seems to have been graded to be more of a pond than a way
to get water away from the house. We also have a large Mulberry tree
in the south west corner of the space that was so big that it not only
blocked just about all the sun from reaching the poor grass but also
scraped the roof of our neighbors house. We cut it back dramatically
last fall and have just under 2 cords of wood to show for it. There
was also an attempt at some time to put in drainage tubing in the
ground. I have found two drains that are supposedly connected all the
way up to the front of the front yard (over 100 feet) but are
hopelessly clogged...not to mention that the idiot bought the kind of
tubing that is perforated so the water wouldn't go anywhere anyway.
Needless to say I am going to yank it all out.

That said......

1) Since the space is so small, I would think grading it out to be
more or less sloped away from the house is not that hard given a
Bobcat (our driveway is not connected to the back yard), some rakes
and a water level. Am I nuts?

2) For the side of the house, can I just throw some dirt and seed
down or is there more that needs to be done?

3) Should I roll or tamp down the dirt or just throw seed on it?

4) I live just south west of Chicago...the soil is clay. Would I be
better off throwing a few holes deep into the ground and running pipes
into them for drainage or go through the aggravation of running hosing
all the way to the front? That said, what is good depth to go down if
I am going to do something like that?

Thanks

Dave

Pam - gardengal 27-04-2004 06:02 AM

Grading
 

"Ringo" wrote in message
om...
I know this has been covered before a bit but I thought I would drive
people nuts by asking again....

We have a 50 by 50 back yard that is a true mess. To match it, we
also have a sliver of land on the northern of the house that is
horribly graded. It seems that a previous owner dug it all up to
place into the ground drainage hoses but never properly filled the
dirt back in. and the drainage hoses are useless...but more on that
in a bit.

The backyard seems to have been graded to be more of a pond than a way
to get water away from the house. We also have a large Mulberry tree
in the south west corner of the space that was so big that it not only
blocked just about all the sun from reaching the poor grass but also
scraped the roof of our neighbors house. We cut it back dramatically
last fall and have just under 2 cords of wood to show for it. There
was also an attempt at some time to put in drainage tubing in the
ground. I have found two drains that are supposedly connected all the
way up to the front of the front yard (over 100 feet) but are
hopelessly clogged...not to mention that the idiot bought the kind of
tubing that is perforated so the water wouldn't go anywhere anyway.
Needless to say I am going to yank it all out.

That said......

1) Since the space is so small, I would think grading it out to be
more or less sloped away from the house is not that hard given a
Bobcat (our driveway is not connected to the back yard), some rakes
and a water level. Am I nuts?

2) For the side of the house, can I just throw some dirt and seed
down or is there more that needs to be done?

3) Should I roll or tamp down the dirt or just throw seed on it?

4) I live just south west of Chicago...the soil is clay. Would I be
better off throwing a few holes deep into the ground and running pipes
into them for drainage or go through the aggravation of running hosing
all the way to the front? That said, what is good depth to go down if
I am going to do something like that?

Thanks

Dave


As a landscaping professional, correcting poor drainage on this scale is not
something I recommend a homeowner do on their own. And without seeing the
property or how the water collects and is dispersed, it would be useless to
offer any specific advice to correct. There are too many variables,
including how the existing 'system' is connected, how runoff is directed
both to and from neighboring yards, soil type and natural drainage
conditions.and how the water is directed to storm drains or catch basins.

Look for a landscape contractor or LA that specializes in grading and
drainage for at least an onsite consultation. You will then have a better
idea if you can handle a project of this scope or if a professional should
be called in.

btw, perforated pipe is very common in constructing French drains or other
in-ground water collection systems. The perforations allow excess water to
infiltrate the pipe and be carried downslope to catch basins or storm
drains. The previous may not have been an idiot at all - just someone who
bit off a larger project than he could chew.

pam - gardengal




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