How Do You Fix Poor Soil Drainage?
Poor drainage is the leading cause of death for garden plants. Adding organic matter will improve poorly draining soils. If you’ve tried that, though, and your site still retains water for hours after a short, heavy rain, further action is called for. A shallow trench and drainage pipe could solve the problem. Find a spot below the level of the garden where the water can drain away safely. A storm drain, dry well or drainage ditch is an ideal choice. Measure the distance from the lowest point in the problem site to the drainage area. Then buy enough perforated 4-inch (10-cm)- diameter pipe to cover that distance. (Either black ADS or white PVC pipe will work fine.) Dig a trench 18 inches (45 cm) deep and 12 inches (30 cm) wide, sloping downhill between the two points. Try for a drop of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) for every 10 feet (3 m) of ground.
