Tips That Will Help You Improve Your Garden’s Drainage

A garden with poor drainage can become a swamp during rainy, wetter months, with long-term after-effects. Good drainage is essential for maintaining healthy grass and growing healthy garden plants. However, the weather is not the only reason behind poor drainage in the garden. Sometimes, a clogged pipe can discharge rainwater directly into the garden, leading to waterlogging. If a sticky, glue-like layer of soil forms near the garden surface after heavy rainfall or your lawn feels squelchy to walk, these are signs of waterlogging. This occurs when water stands on the soil surface for long and drains slowly or fails to drain at all. So, how can you address this issue?

This guide will outline smart tips for improving your garden's drainage so you can grow healthy plants and enjoy your outdoor space.

1. Prick or Slit the Lawn

One of the simplest solutions to improve garden drainage is by pricking, slitting, or spiking the lawn surface. Prick or slit the surface with 2-3 cm holes across your lawn. However, deeper spiking with a special tool to create deep holes is better. In a few cases, creating 8-10 cm deep holes and filling them with lawn top dressing or sand allows water to penetrate deep soil layers that are less compact. This way, you can prevent your garden from drowning in puddles. You can use a garden fork or aerating shoes to puncture deeper into the ground. It will improve drainage by allowing water to move freely into the ground.

2. Improve Soil Drainage

Another tip to improve the garden's drainage is to improve the soil permeability and structure. Add lots of organic matter like compost to the soil because soil with rich organic matter allows water to pass through and absorbs moisture that plants need. It will separate tightly packed soil particles, improving drainage. The soil amendment method works well for clay soil because it has finer particles and less space for water to drain. Moreover, adding compost to sandy soil improves soil drainage. It'll fill the large spaces in the soil and continue to absorb moisture. The cheap and effective way to do so is to create your compost and add it to enhance the soil quality.

3. Build Raised Garden Beds

Raised beds can also significantly improve your garden's drainage. These elevated garden beds allow you to lift your plants, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables off the swampy ground for better water saturation. Growing in raised beds in your garden has several other advantages. You can fill the beds with good-quality and well-drained soil.

It is the best solution for people with smaller gardens or areas with a lot of seasonal rainfall. You can build the raised beds using wood, brick, natural stones, metal, or concrete materials.

4. Grow Water-loving Plants

If the soggy area in your garden is too large to improve by adding compost, the best option to fix it is to grow water-loving plants. It is an inexpensive way that will make your garden look beautiful in the long run. Some plants that survive wet conditions include marsh marigolds, turtlehead, hosta, calla lily, and cardinal flower. Many plants dislike extra watering and can't handle waterlogged conditions. So, choose the plants carefully. You can also grow vegetables that help aerate the soil, such as radishes, turnips, alfalfa, and clover.

5. Manage Surface Water

Another effective way to improve garden drainage is to manage surface water run-off. Create sloping surfaces in the garden to transport excess water to a specific spot, such as drain or plant beds with water-loving plants. This method may involve costs like renting a mini excavator to reshape garden contours.

6. Use Mulch and Bark Chippings

Using bark clippings and mulch in plant beds is an excellent way to enhance soil quality, absorb moisture, curb weed growth, insulate the garden beds during winter, and improve garden drainage. Wood bark is an affordable mulch that can be easily spread across waterlogged plant beds. This mulch slowly breaks down in the soil and releases essential nutrients to nourish plants and form a well-structured soil base. It also increases the aesthetic of any garden bed.

7. Install Rain Barrels

If puddles accumulate under or near a downspout, it is best to extend your downspout and install a rain barrel below it. This cost-efficient and environmentally friendly method will store rainwater. You can use this water to irrigate your plants on sunny days or wash your car and garage.

Read More: Rainwater Harvesting: Using Rain Barrels for Drip Irrigation

8. Create a Pond or Bog Garden

To address poor garden drainage in a complex way, consider building a pond, bog, or rain garden. This task will require professional assistance to shape the land for the best water retention. Create a small pond in your garden, to improve drainage and attract wildlife to wet garden areas for drinking or bathing. Welcome several bird species, like catbirds, mockingbirds, grackles, and cardinals, to your garden.

9.Install Drain Tiles

If your garden drainage condition is bad, consider installing underground land drain tiles. This is a labor-intensive project to improve garden drainage. It involves digging a trench, installing drainage tiles, and then re-covering. Careful attention is needed when installing drains. Analyze the slope, tile depth, and location of water outflow. Water will drain through your garden and into a land drainpipe, which will route it away from that area to your chosen location. Create a rain or bog garden near the drain tile outlet. Also, it is best to seek help from a landscape expert for this project.

Conclusion

Use these tips to clear away puddles in your garden, fix drainage issues, and improve your garden drainage. Constantly soggy areas make it challenging for plants, flowers, and vegetables to survive. All homeowners should choose the best solution to help their garden to cope with rainfall and prevent becoming waterlogged.

At DripWorks, we provide a high-quality range of landscaping products, garden products, and drainage solutions. Our drainage products and accessories will help improve your garden's drainage and make it look beautiful all year round.