Green Landscaping and Gardening - Water stands in my backyard when it rains.
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BBHunEB
05-13-09, 01:23 PM
Everytime it rains just a little bit my backyard has water standing in it. My backyard shares fences with 5 houses and the water will stand in all of our yards where the fences meet. I need to know what i can do to fix it because summer is coming up and i would like to have flowers out there.
HELP!:confused: Thank you, Beau
HELP!:confused: Thank you, Beau
Newt
05-14-09, 02:16 AM
Hi BBHunEB,
If the water is where all the fences meet and all the neighbors are effected, then it might need to be a joint project. The water has to go somewhere, and considering the fences involved, it doesn't seem that adding soil to build up the area would be an option. Either plant a rain garden or someone will need to dig a dry well or someone will need to supply a route for the water to drain away with either a trench or drainage tile.
Rain gardens
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/rfb/rain-gardens.shtml
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/63490.pdf
Yard drainage
http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_index.asp?ts%5Fid=5256&mscssid=MABLH6DWVXMX8NR0CASGNT9PBV4N9512#
http://www.askthebuilder.com/175_Drying_Soggy_Soil_-_A_Simple_Trench_Drain.shtml
Dry well
http://www.easydigging.com/Drainage/drywell_soakaway.html
Personally, the rain garden sounds like the best option as it will be the least expensive to do and you won't need to involve the neighbors.
Newt
If the water is where all the fences meet and all the neighbors are effected, then it might need to be a joint project. The water has to go somewhere, and considering the fences involved, it doesn't seem that adding soil to build up the area would be an option. Either plant a rain garden or someone will need to dig a dry well or someone will need to supply a route for the water to drain away with either a trench or drainage tile.
Rain gardens
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/rfb/rain-gardens.shtml
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/63490.pdf
Yard drainage
http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_index.asp?ts%5Fid=5256&mscssid=MABLH6DWVXMX8NR0CASGNT9PBV4N9512#
http://www.askthebuilder.com/175_Drying_Soggy_Soil_-_A_Simple_Trench_Drain.shtml
Dry well
http://www.easydigging.com/Drainage/drywell_soakaway.html
Personally, the rain garden sounds like the best option as it will be the least expensive to do and you won't need to involve the neighbors.
Newt
subie74
06-06-09, 08:04 AM
Beau,
Your issue may be a bit bigger than what I faced, but I had good luck with running an aerator over my backyard a few times a year. I get runoff water from a small hill in the rear of my backyard - enough to cause my shoes to sink when walking across that part of the yard. My neighbor to the south had a french drain installed years ago to control the runoff into his yard. My neighbor to the north has done nothing and her yard is chronically soaked. I've noticed that for a good while after I run the aerator, I don't get anywhere near the amount of moisture retention in my yard.
Depending on the grade of the yards that come together (is it a lower elevation at that point?), running an aerator may or may not be effective. I bought a $100 spike aerator from Lowe's and I hook it up to my garden tractor with sandbags strapped to it to help it sink as deep as the spikes will go. It's certainly a low cost option to try and I guess it's something that all your neighbors could do without major investment. Again though, your problem may be worse than what I faced.
Steve
Your issue may be a bit bigger than what I faced, but I had good luck with running an aerator over my backyard a few times a year. I get runoff water from a small hill in the rear of my backyard - enough to cause my shoes to sink when walking across that part of the yard. My neighbor to the south had a french drain installed years ago to control the runoff into his yard. My neighbor to the north has done nothing and her yard is chronically soaked. I've noticed that for a good while after I run the aerator, I don't get anywhere near the amount of moisture retention in my yard.
Depending on the grade of the yards that come together (is it a lower elevation at that point?), running an aerator may or may not be effective. I bought a $100 spike aerator from Lowe's and I hook it up to my garden tractor with sandbags strapped to it to help it sink as deep as the spikes will go. It's certainly a low cost option to try and I guess it's something that all your neighbors could do without major investment. Again though, your problem may be worse than what I faced.
Steve
carlo 1
06-07-09, 08:21 PM
Newt gave you some good advice. You wanna plant flowers right ? Why not plant some nice plants that love water too ? Add some rocks and stuff and it will look beautiful ! It makes all the sense in the world unless your problem is more severe than we think, and if so, his 2 other solutions are good options based on severity of the problem.