I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

flounder

Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by flounder »

I couldn't see what was wrong when I first looked at the photo, other than you've made a fork handle out of a phoenix roebelenii :shock: and your pond water is a bit manky......then I realised. you don't have a pond :shock: :shock:
I think theres no way round it, you've got to shift some earth mate, or seriously consider raised beds all round
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karl66
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by karl66 »

I have an area of garden very similar to yours & have now filled it with raised beds & gunnera!!, some of mine is also due to a natural spring though. I would say that 80% of my garden has thrived in this wet summer. karl.
Tom2006
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by Tom2006 »

It really, really has been a PANTS!!!!....year of weather. I am fortunate to have a south facing slightly sloping garden so no water issues here, no matter how much rain we have. BUT I have lived in houses with gardens that have had 5" of standing water in them for days after heavy rain so I can feel your pain!

The frosts look like starting this weekend, and especially as we move into October so get those tender plants under cover asap. icon_thumleft
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
pdid

Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by pdid »

When it dries out i`m going to dig a hole at the corner to see whether a soak away is viable or not.

Frosts this early is not good, I`m currently preparing for house renovations part of which is converting my garage which means no ensete or brug overwintering in there. To make up for this I am extending the fence down the side to make space for a large shed. The materials to do the fence have been sat outside for three weeks but it`s been too wet to do the job. I can`t order the shed or build the base till the fence is done.

Bloody weather.
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

If it helps Phil , here's a couple of pics of how i dealt with drainage...............

First pic shows the land drain i incorporated under the path of the "Jungle / Woodland walk project" . Its about a foot deep x the width of the path and about 40ft long. You can see the top layer of rubble is still visible in the pic. Under that layer is a couple of layers of old house bricks, concrete blocks, concrete paths which where all broken up etc. Its all topped off now with a thick layer of wood bark. The entire path serves as a land drain and snakes around to a soakaway about 8ft long and 3ft deep at the left hand side of the greenhouse. This is also filled with housebricks and rubble etc.

I used to get a little standing water in the area under the log pergola but not on your scale and then only after a big deluge. With all the heavy bursts of rain we've had recently, i've since had no standing water at all.
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land drain.jpg
soakaway.jpg
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Las Palmas Norte
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by Las Palmas Norte »

Interesting ... by contrast over my way, there's been little if any rain since June (13 weeks). Endless days of sun and warmth. Today (Oct.07) we max'd out at 81.9°F / 27.7°C. I removed my AC unit for the season yesterday and won't need it again this year. Looks like us west coast Canadians are gonna be carvin' up the bird on the deck this year.

Cheers, Barrie.
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Conifers
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by Conifers »

Looks like we may be in for several more years of similar wet summers :x :x :x

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19848112
pdid

Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by pdid »

Right so it dried out enough for me to dig. I've gone down approximately a spades depth, it would appear I have a few inches of topsoil, a 6 or so inch level after rubble compacted to clay, a bit more soil then a massive chunk of grey clay then turning sandy coloured but I think still clay.

I've put a bit of water in the bottom to see if it drains.

Do yo think it's suitable for a soakaway?
topography.jpg
flounder

Re: I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

Post by flounder »

Wow, thats cr@p! Something tells me your back is going to ache by the time you've finished this :shock:
tropicalwon

Re: I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

Post by tropicalwon »

Yes, OK for soak away..... but looking at the condition of the heavy clay you're going to have to dig more then one soak away, I would say at the worst areas...Also improve the planting (soil) areas with more grit especially when planting out.

There are soil conditioners available to buy.which will open the soil up so improving drainage & at the same time add humus. icon_thumright
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: I'm done with this year :-(

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

pdid wrote: Do yo think it's suitable for a soakaway?
1 cubic meter is about the minimum Phil.

Sounds a lot but you'd be surprised how quick it'll fill .

Its worth it for just an extra 10 mins digging :lol: :lol:
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Dave Brown
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Re: I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

Post by Dave Brown »

I had a compacted clay pan under the front garden border. I banged a re-enforcing rod down through it and broke it up without having to dig it all up. Had to bang it in 100 times of so, but still a lot less effort :wink:
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Dave
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pdid

Re: I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

Post by pdid »

Cheers all, I`m working for the next few days so hopefully get a bit more done next weekend. Weather permitting :shock:
pdid

Re: I'm done with this year :-( UPDATE

Post by pdid »

Right so after digging out a huge amount of clay to a depth of about 1.6m the hole filled with water and stayed that way so no good for a soakaway. I have filled it back in and now going onto plan B which is to raise the soil level by a few inches with good quality topsoil.

I won't be doing this till Spring as the clay which has been put back in the hole needs to settle and stabilise.
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