It’s a simple way to add very basic “plumbing” to your lawn and alleviate drainage issues in specific areas. It is far more practical to use organic matter to help break up clay soil. Perlite is a volcanic rock that is puffed like popcorn to be very lightweight, and takes up a lot … Assuming your lot isn't shaped like a large salad bowl with the house at the bottom center, look for a spot that's lower than the house to drain … The Basic Ditch Sometimes your lawn will be soggy and you need to fix the drainage. My childhood home sat atop a bluff overlooking the Mill Creek Valley near Quincy. The end result is dozens of small mounds of sand all over the lawn. Imagine you move into a new house and the lawn you admired when visited on a nice summer day never normally looks quite so appealing because of how soggy it constantly is? The more you aerate your lawn, the more you keep drainage problems out of your hopefully beautiful lawn. Just like most of the activities you do in your yard, you should know when and when not to aerate your lawn. This is a very good question that will help you to take action before things get worse. Lawn Drainage. A soggy, wet lawn will attract all sorts of problems from weed outbreaks to lawn disease and, eventually, thin and dying turf. The first step is to ensure that people don’t walk over it. Check out my full article on how to aerate your lawn with a fork. Depending on the condition of your lawn, practice proper aeration and you will see quality results. How to Use Sand to Improve Lawn Drainage. The problem with soggy grass is that it makes it difficult for water to drain. Check out my full article on what to do after you aerate for maximum results. A rain garden doesn't have to hold water like a pond. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',132,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',132,'0','1']));Indeed, drainage problems can be problematic not only to the health of your lawn but also to your home. Putting it simply, aerating is allowing the soil to have small holes in order to let nutrients, water, and air get down to the grassroots. The end result is dozens of small mounds of sand all over the lawn. The small particle size of the sand will get in between soil clods and break them up, increase drainage, and help to aerate the soil for good root development. With this in mind it’s easy to see how the practice of adding sand to clay soils has evolved. Then you have to make it a priority to ensure that your lawn is properly maintained on a regular basis, not just once per year. The view over bucolic farm fields and pastures likely was the kicker for why my parents purchased the property. Using sand and gravel together is a common practice when it comes to building a drainage system into a lawn or garden. One garden misconception repeated routinely is to till sand into clay soil to break up the clay structure and facilitate better drainage. Check out my full article on how often you should aerate your lawn. Sand and Gravel. It is my assumption today they knew the soil was so heavy; my digging wouldn't take me down to China as I had hoped. When adding sand to clay soil always add organic matter, too; without it, instead of improving drainage water will pool and flood the area. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The reason as to why aerating in spring is a bad idea is because you might facilitate the growth of weeds in your lawn. In contrast, clay soils do bind mineral nutrients but have poor drainage and aeration. Installing drainage involves burying porous pipes at about 45cm (18in) deep. Shovel small amount of the mixture over the low spot in the lawn. These air pockets provide passageways for plant roots to successfully … River Sand; Concrete Sand; Masonry Sand; Don’t use sea sand though, as the salt will most likely damage the lawn. However, if your lawn has compacted soil, the best thing to do is to aerate several times in a year to allow water and nutrients to pass through to the grassroots with ease. If there is frequent thatch buildup in your lawn, constant aeration is necessary. Most of the remaining water will flow during this step. to improve the drainage of the top 4 inches of a clay soil, for example, spread a 2-inch thick layer of sand over it and then work in the sand … When to install drainage. If your lawn was developed as part of a recently built home, you might need to aerate it. And while this practice may be commonly used in commercial situations (especially where the turf is established on sand), it is not highly recommended for the average domestic lawn. Sand is the largest soil particle, with silt falling in the middle. Redirecting Water Regrade your lawn. If your lawn is healthy, you don’t need to aerate too much because the soil has adequate holes allowing nutrients, air, and water to go through the ground. When adding sand to clay soil always add organic matter, too; without it, instead of improving drainage water will pool and flood the area. THANK YOU!! Yard drainage problems can wreak havoc on a garden or lawn, especially after a heavy rain. In such cases, you install an underground drain beneath the lawn or garden at its lowest point, and lay pipes to carry water to the drain. However, deeper spiking is better, especially with a tool designed to leave holes 10-15cm (4-6in) deep. Just like any other thing or asset that you value immensely, you have to take good care of your lawn for it to remain healthy and looking strikingly beautiful for a long time. After the lawn undergoes aeration, spread the top dressing over the surface of the lawn about 1/2 of an inch thick. Regardless, I scraped away, with my oversized shovel. And finally, keep in mind that topdressing materials should be applied evenly in … Please have a browse of some more helpful articles. Check out my article on the best compost bins for a small yard. All these factors can create an environment that is not favorable to some plants or the gardener. What happens here is that you are breaking up the soil to let in air, which, in turn, makes the grassroots grow deeper, healthier, and stronger. Adding Sand Not the Solution Some people … 3. Yes, there is a need for adding sand as a top dresser after aeration. 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