how do i fix bad drainage in my lawn

How to Solve Yard Drainage Problems

• Dig a French Drain A French drain is a cost-effective way to manage excess surface water on your lawn. ...
• Aerate That Lawn Aeration is another effective way to help your yard drain excess water. ...
• Design a Dry Creek Bed ...
• Replace Concrete Patios ...
• Lengthen Downspouts ...
• Get a Rain Barrel ...
• Install a Dry Well ...
• Redirect Water with a Channel Drain ...

Full Answer

How do I fix poor soil drainage in my lawn?

How to Fix Poor Soil Drainage 1 Method 1 of 3: Pinpointing the Problem Download Article. Identify where water collects. Watch your yard during rainfall. ... 2 Method 2 of 3: Redirecting Water Download Article. Regrade your lawn. ... 3 Method 3 of 3: Treating the Soil and Adding Plants Download Article. Aerate your lawn. ...

How do you fix standing water in your yard?

Diverting standing water might solve your drainage issues, but flooding their yard may create a whole new problem. Aerate your lawn. If the root structure of your grass or other vegetation is so thick that it’s preventing the soil from absorbing the water, use a lawn aerator to break through the barrier.

Does your yard have a drainage problem?

If you have a yard drainage problem, you’ve no doubt noticed the following problems: You may have flooding in your basement because of poor yard drainage. If those issues sound familiar, it’s time to find out how you can fix water drainage problems in your yard.

What to do when your lawn is wet all the time?

Method 1 of 3: Pinpointing the Problem Download Article 1 Identify where water collects. Watch your yard during rainfall. ... 2 Check where the water is coming from. First, see if additional water is being concentrated on this spot by a nearby structure, like the roof of your house or ... 3 Check the soil. ... 4 Measure the grade of your lawn. ...

How do I improve soil drainage in my lawn?

Amend the soil. Amending the soil with a top dressing of materials like sand, loam, and compost that water can more easily pass through can greatly improve drainage. In some cases, the lawn may need to be tilled for a more aggressive amending, followed by seed and fertilizer.

What causes poor drainage in yard?

These drainage issues can be caused by high water tables, low grading compared to surrounding properties, layers of hard materials (like stone) below the soil and extremely compacted soil. One solution for yard drainage issues is to create an underground drain.

How do you fix soil that doesn't drain?

Adding lots of organic matter such as compost, farm manure, or shredded leaves to clayey soil will allow it to drain more easily and hold the right amounts of water and air for better plant growth and increased biological activity.

How do you fix low spot in yard that collects water?

One of the best ways to get rid of water from a low spot is to simply drain it away through an underground drainage pipe. For this to work, you need an area to discharge the water that's lower than the inlet. The underground drainage pipe should slope downhill at least 1/8 in. per foot.

How do you drain waterlogged ground?

Pricking, slitting or spikingPricking or slitting the surface can improve a waterlogged lawn. ... Hand spiking tools are available for the purpose, but an ordinary garden fork can be used. ... Pricking and slitting are best carried out once the excess water has drained away, especially where machinery is to be used.More items...

What absorbs water in yard?

Work organic matter into your soil to make your lawn more amenable to water absorption. Garden compost, leaf mold, and manure will open the soil up and create smaller channels through which water can escape. Dig. For hardpan problems, a shovel may be the best solution.

What is a yard drain?

A yard drain, also known as a landscape drain or an area drain, is a landscape feature which can be used to channel excess water from gutters on the roof and the downspout, away from the home’s foundation.

Why do we need drainage ditches?

Drainage ditches create a pathway or avenue for water to flow away from a home or yard to prevent excess water from collecting around the house, saturating the yard and then seeping into the foundation and walls of your home. The ditches help prevent excess water from seeping into the walls, weakening them and making it damp enough for mold and mildew to grow.

What happens if your yard is flooded?

When the hardscape design of your yard prevents it from draining properly, you are at risk for water flooding into your basement and weakening your foundation every time it rains. Plus, having your yard flooded with standing water will kill all of your grass,#N#plants, flowers and trees and leave your yard a soggy mess. If the problem isn’t dealtwith right away, it can cause serious damage to your home’s foundation and walls that require expensive repairs. The dampness can invite mold and mildew and make being in#N#your home dangerous and unhealthy. Plus, it can make the value of your home plummet.

What is a trench drain?

A channel drain or tren ch drain collects excess water and runoff in a well-designed underground drainage system and disperses it over a large area away from the foundation of people’s houses to prevent the water from weakening and wreaking havoc on the home.

How to drain water from flooded yard?from bobvila.com

You can set a perforated pipe into the ground, running from the problem area to the safe zone. The pipe draws in water through its holes and by the power of gravity, carries water away from your home.

Why do new homes have drainage problems?from hgtv.com

A lot of new homes often develop drainage problems because builders don’t install downspouts so rain water tends to stay in one area and is not diverted away from the house. At the same time, downspouts which divert water towards the house instead of away from it are also to blame.

Why is it preferable to have runoff water flow naturally overland without resorting to catch basins or French?from hgtv.com

But it is always preferable to have runoff water flow naturally overland without resorting to catch basins or French drains because they often clog over a period of time. Lesti states that drainage problems sometimes arise, “because the house has been set too low by the builder.

Why is aeration important in lawns?from thespruce.com

Aeration creates holes in the lawn to introduce air and nutrients, plus it breaks up compacted soil underneath. Aeration also has another benefit: It promotes yard drainage. Rather than pooling up on the lawn, the water trickles down through thousands of holes. 06 of 10.

Why is my yard soggy?from hgtv.com

Soggy areas in your yard that never seem to dry out could be caused by a number of issues. You may have underground springs or creeks that have fractured and are emerging in your lawn. The problem spot could also be caused by a large depression in your landscape where all the water is draining.

Why is runoff around my house?from horizonlandscape.com

Instead, runoff will pool around the foundation of the home and cause both landscape and structural problems. To fix, make sure all downspouts are pointed away from the home and that they lead far enough away from the dwelling.

How to use water from downspouts?from thespruce.com

Water from the downspouts can be put to good use instead of being wasted. Build or purchase a rain barrel and place it next to a downspout. By reconfiguring the downspout, you can send water into the barrel—where it collects for later use in gardens.

How to fix poor drainage?

A more labor-intensive solution to altering a site with poor drainage is to excavate the soil and install underground drainage tile. Attention to detail is key to success when installing drain tile. Carefully analyze slope, tile depth, and where the water will outlet. A rain garden or bog garden might be necessary near the drain tile outlet. It's often best to involve a landscape professional for this project, but if you would like to tackle it yourself, here are the tools, materials, and instructions to use.

What to do with a poorly drained yard?

Another, more elaborate solution to a poorly drained spot is to create a pond, bog, or water garden. This will probably require some professional help: The land will have to be carefully sculpted in order to hold enough water in the area. The added bonus of having a small pond on your property is that wildlife naturally gravitates toward wet areas for drinking and bathing. Numerous birds, such as grackles, mocking birds, catbirds, cardinals, and nuthatches, are sure to seek out your wet garden.

How Wet Is Your Soil?

Determine which areas of your yard get frustratingly wet and how long they stay that way. Consider the moisture level of the soil throughout the seasons, also how quickly water dissipates after a big rain, and how often the area has standing water.

How to test soil drainage?

Here's a simple test that's used in the landscape trade to gauge the drainage of a particular soil. Dig a hole 18 inches deep and about 12 inches wide in the wet area. Fill the hole with water. The water level should drop steadily and be completely drained within 24 hours. If there is still standing water after one day, repeat the test several weeks later to determine if you have a seasonal drainage issue (spring runoff, for example) or a year-round wet soil challenge.

How to work with soggy soil?

The first step in working with soggy soil is to get to know it better. Determine which areas of your yard get frustratingly wet and how long they stay that way. Consider the moisture level of the soil throughout the seasons, also how quickly water dissipates after a big rain, and how often the area has standing water.

How to improve drainage in a small area?

Mix it with slow draining soil to help add valuable air pockets. This is a multi-year process. Incorporate 3-4 inches of compost yearly to improve draina ge over time.

How to lighten soil in a poor drainage area?

Mix in Compost. If your poor drainage area is a relatively small one and not too severe, you can lighten the soil by working in lots of organic matter. Compost is filled with pore spaces for oxygen. Mix it with slow draining soil to help add valuable air pockets. This is a multi-year process.

Aerate the Lawn

If your lawn soil is pretty packed down, then chances are it’s not adequately absorbing rainfall. Aerating is a standard practice that helps keep your lawn in great condition and encourages better drainage. Aerating creates small holes in the lawn to bring in more air, nutrients, and water.

Install a French Drain

A French drain is a low-cost and effective way of managing surface water flow. Surface water that moves across your lawn can be difficult to control, but a French drain is a good way to keep water flow under control.

Install a Dry Well

A dry well is simply a well that is installed underground and acts as a collection point for water. Bury a large dry well basin underground in the part of your yard where most water collects. Fill it with rocks so that the water can easily accumulate and drain into the dry well.

Add Underground Drainage Pipes

Determine where water tends to accumulate in your yard and install drains and PVC pipes to direct the water away from the house and the yard. Some water accumulating hot spots are under downspouts and at the lower parts of your yard.

How to keep water from pooling in yard?

Identify where water collects. Watch your yard during rainfall. Note exactly where water tends to pool and sit. Also take into consideration how light or heavy the rainfall is, which may affect how large the affected area is. Plant stakes or flags in the center of the area and/or its borders while it's still wet if you think you will lose sight of it once it dries.

What to do with neighbors when they are working on a drainage creek?

You should have a conversation with your neighbor about working together on a drainage creek or something of that nature. Perhaps you can re-route the water to an area that needs it.

What causes nitrogen deficiency in soil?

Adding too much sawdust, bark, or other high-carbon organic matter to soil can create a deficiency in nitrogen. Use a nitrogen fertilizer or manure to rebalance the nitrogen and create faster decomposition of the organic matter.

Why install a rain barrel?

Installing a rain barrel to collect water from your gutters is a great way to minimize the amount that your lawn has to absorb. It’s also a great no-waste practice, as the rainwater can be used to water plants.

How to make a rain garden?

Dig a hole in the center of that area. Make it deep and wide enough for all of the surrounding runoff or standing water to collect in. Create a planting mix that is 60% sand, 20% compost, and 20% topsoil to fill the hole. Select plants that are native to your area and thrive in water to plant in your new garden.

Can you make a rain garden in clay?

This is partly why creating a rain garden in clay soil isn’t a solution , since water has a tougher time draining through clay. A rain garden is a great endpoint for gutter drains and dry creek beds to get rid of runoff from roofs, driveways, and patios. Community Q&A.

Does aerating your lawn attract worms?

Aerating your lawn will also attract more worm activity. Worms will create even more pathways for water to travel into and through the soil.

Why is my yard draining so bad?

Yard drainage is often a result of a big number of rain events in the season and a poorly developed system to route the water away from your home. Not only is yard drainage unattractive for the eye, but it can also cause a variety of problems to your property. Bacteria and dirty stagnant water are some of the biggest health issues ...

What causes a yard drain to clog?

Yard Drains are Clogged. There are a bunch of things that can clog your drains. Yard drains are often located near grass so leaves, grass cuttings, sprigs, and trash are usually the things that are causing the problem. Once in a while, you should take a look at your drains and check if your water flow isn’t being hindered.

How does a French drain work?

It is usually composed of a punctured pipe covered in fabric filter and surrounded by gravel. The way it works is that it disperses the water over a large area through the punctured pipe.

Why is my downspout not draining?

The first reason is that new homes might not even have an installed downspout so the rainwater just tends to stay in the same spot.

How to get rid of water in low spots?

Underground Drainage Pipe. An underground drainage pipe is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of water from a low spot because it drains it away. To create a drain, you will first need to dig a sloping trench starting from the source and ending it at the outlet.

What to look for when you have a water drainage problem?

It doesn’t take a professional to notice this problem, some of the first things you should look out for are bare roots, yard rivets, and a line of water on the side of your house.

Why is my yard flooded?

Most drainage problems are usually the cause of an inadequate slope or pitch in your yard that prevents the surplus water from being routed away from the house. This usually leads to flooded areas in your lawn.

How to hide the end of a drainage ditch?

Hide the end of a drainage ditch with attractive pebbles.

Why is my yard watering after a rain?

October 07, 2019. If water stands in your yard for hours or even days after a moderate rain, you have poor drainage, which can be caused by heavy, compacted soils or improper grading. If this occurs near your home’s foundation, it can lead to nasty moisture issues in your basement or crawlspace.

Why are gutters emptying?

The gutters on your home could be contributing to the mass of water collecting in your yard. As your home’s gutters collect rain, they eject it through the nearest downspout. If your downspouts are emptying into an area that runs uphill or tends to collect water, it might be time to redirect your gutters.

How does a rain garden work?

Rain gardens earn their keep, catching rain water runoff from roofs, driveways and lawns. A well-designed rain garden holds runoff long enough so it can soak into soil, instead of running into storm sewers. It also helps clean rain water runoff by removing up to 90 percent of fertilizer nutrients and up to 80 percent of sediments. Best of all, a rain garden can look gorgeous while effectively handling storm water runoff. This rain garden design features strong summer and fall color, with gold black-eyed susan, purple Russian sage, purple coneflower and rose-pink ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum.

How does a dry well work?

Dry wells are perforated tanks surrounded by aggregate that receive water piped from other areas. The water collects into the well and slowly seeps into the ground through the perforations in the side of the tank. This system can ingest a large volume of water and contain it so that the soil doesn’t become super saturated. An effective dry well should be able to collect the first 20 minutes of your largest average rainstorm of the year. You can connect a variety of drainage devices to a dry well, including French drains, gutters and channel drains.

What is a French drain?

French drains are unique in that you can have an inlet on both sides of the pipe, so that two areas can flow into the same drain. French drains can be used in conjunction with gutters or dry wells to reduce surface water runoff.

Why do you need water for landscaping?

Water adds another dimension to your landscaping. Install a reliable irrigation system to maintain a healthy lawn or water features to add beauty.

Why add a French drain?

Add a French drain so water can drain away from your home or from the low-lying area of your property. You’ll need to dig trenches and put in piping to move the water toward the French drain. You can learn more about French drains in this video.

What causes water to back up in gutters?

If it’s been a while since you checked your gutters, now is a good time. Clogged gutters come from twigs, leaves, and debris forming a dam causing water to back up. You may notice a flood pouring from your blocked rainspouts.

What to plant in a rain garden?

Improve your landscaping as well as repair your drainage problem by creating a rain garden. If your extended rain spouts go out to a rain garden, you can include these water-loving plants: 1 Sedges ( Carex) 2 Bluestar ( Amsonia) 3 Turtlehead ( Chelone ). 4 Cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis) 5 Black-eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia fulgida) 6 Swamp milkweed ( Asclepias incarnate) 7 Swamp mallow ( Hisbiscus moscheutos) 8 Joe Pye Weed ( Eupatorium)

Why is my basement flooding?

You’ve noticed your property’s ponding getting worse every year. You may have flooding in your basement because of poor yard drainage.

Where does water go in a rain garden?

Extend your water downspouts, so water goes to a rain garden, into a catchment basin or into a garden area for extra moisture.

What is a catch basin?

A catch basin is larger than a French drain. It has a 6” drain, and the basin sits right underneath the soil line. You can position your extended rainspouts to head toward the catch basin to disperse excess water. Build a swale. A swale sits either in-between two sloped areas or at the bottom of a slope on your property.

How to fix dead grass?from bhg.com

Once the herbicide has had a few days to work, mow the dead turf as short as you can. It may seem counter-intuitive to totally scalp your lawn to repair it, but this low mowing will keep the dead plants from shading your new lawn too much, while leaving the remains of their roots intact to prevent erosion until fresh grass can grow.

What to do about weeds in my lawn?from scotts.com

You can help avoid the issue in the first place by maintaining the overall health of your grass. To do that, follow these mowing tips, give your lawn just the right amount of water, and fertilize your grass regularly. If weed problems show up anyway, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Weed & Feed3 * to feed grass while controlling weeds, or use Scotts® Spot Weed Control for Lawns if you have just a few to manage.

Why is there brown stuff on my lawn?from scotts.com

There are ugly brown spots on my lawn. Okay, to be honest, this one’s a little more complicated, because there are several things that could be causing the spots. Possible culprits range from grubs or fungus to foot traffic, weed dieback, and dog urine.

What does it mean when your lawn is yellow?from scotts.com

(Don’t worry—it happens to the best of us.) When you walk back and forth with your spreader, be sure to slightly overlap each pass to ensure full coverage. Strips of grass that don’t receive fertilizer can appear yellow in contrast to all of the lush, new, green grass growth next to it. So, you’ll just need to tune up your application technique to make sure all of your lawn is green and growing.

How to keep grass at the height you want it?from bhg.com

Be sure the mower blade is sharp the first time you mow; a dull blade could rip the seedlings right out of the ground. Then mow as you normally would to keep the grass at the height you want it. For the health of your turf, don't cut off more than a third of the leaf length during any one mowing.

How long does it take for grass to sprout?from scotts.com

With Sprouts™, you start the growing process in the bag. Just add 3 cups of water, wait 3 days for the seeds to sprout, and then spread the already growing grass onto any bare spots. Following the label directions, you should see grass pop up in 1 to 2 days. (Mind blown, we know!)

What causes a dog to have brown spots in the yard?from scotts.com

Check out section 4 below to find out what to do. Spots caused by dog urine tend to have brown centers with green outer rings.