What is a quick way to determine if you have good soil drainage?
Dig a hole in the soil as if you were planting a 3- to 5-gallon size shrub. Fill the hole with water and allow to drain. Fill again. If water remains in the hole for longer than 3 hours, you have poor drainage. For poorly drained soils, use raised beds for all plantings. Also consider incorporating lots of organic matter (e.g. compost) into the soil. In heavy clay soils, do not incorporate lots of sand in the root zone to improve drainage except when installing subsurface drainage tiles or dry wells. The same can be said for very sandy soils or doughty soils, never incorporate clay. Remember, sand and clay makes brick.
