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DrainageDrainage is one of the most overlooked landscape concerns...until the persistent puddles and declining plants make it necessary to do something about it, we often ignore the need for good drainage. Drainage problems can be caused by seasonal high water tables, ponding of surface water, poor soil permeability or a combination of these conditions. At some homesites, the high water table may exist for long periods - this will require good subsurface drains around the outside foundation walls to keep the house dry. Consult with local professionals and codes for specifics. Further from the house, areas of poor drainage can be improved with an underground collection drain called a French Drain. This drain collects water from the saturated soil and takes it (downhill) to an outlet. The link below outlines the basic construction detail of a French Drain: http://www.insync.net/~zwater/frenchdrn.htm If surface ponding results from natural low spots or poor soil permeability, diversion ditches or gentle swales can channel water off the lawn and driveway. During the installation of a landscape, the grade should drain away from the house at a minimum of one foot in 100 feet. Gutters and downspouts will also help with drainage problems; water from the roof can be emptied into dry wells (large hole filled with rock) or diverted to a subsurface drain. Specific measures for insuring adequate drainage will depend on site characteristics...evaluate your soil type(s), topography, water table and climate for the best solutions. Questions and Answers name = D Feedback = We have an area that needs a retaining wall. it is about 5 feet tall and is the barrier between a lower cemented area for cattle and a higher ground where there is a huge machine shed 4 feet in. We would like to build a retaining wall and fill it level with the shed and plant grass. I am wondering about materials that would be best. (The wall would be up against stell posts cemented into the cement floor for the cable fence line.) I am also wondering if I need to do anything special to hold back the wall. Thank you for your advice. We pride ourselves on our well landscaped and beautiful farm so your advice is important to us. Hi D When it comes to retaining walls, the idea is to over engineer and over build. The pressure exerted by a mass of soil is often under estimated. For materials, the most labor and cost efficient are the keystone block systems, in my opinion...the suppliers should be able to give you a set of building specifications. If the wall rises more than three (or four) feet, you'll need to use a tie-back system that can be ordered with the block. Each installation is slightly different, with specific soil types, etc., so your local advice will be the most valuable. Good luck! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` I have tall slender pine trees in my back yard which create a type of fence and don't know the name of the tree. I live in VA and am renting, but want to know how to take care of the tree so it will grow more quickly and more fuller. Hi David, Thanks for your note. The goal is to replicate the conditions these trees would have if growing in the wild. In the forest, a layer of rich, decaying organic matter protects the root system from radical changes of temperature and helps to conserve moisture. So keep a good mulch of organic matter around the trees. You can shear the tree in late spring, removing about one half of the new growth - this will encourage the fullness you desire. Good luck! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ do you have any guidelines for pruning or shaping Japanese maples? I inherited one when I bought a new house - planted in the full sun, on the south side of the house, and larger than the space it's planted in. Help!! Hi Linda, Some maples will bleed excessively if pruned in late winter/early spring, so I have usually pruned them in fall. Use common sense and basic pruning techniques ( for introduction, see http://clearwaterlandscapes.com/pruning.htm ) Don't cut it back to your desired size all at one time...you may shock the tree...accomplish your renovation over a two to three year period. If you need further pruning info, search the web or your local library. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello, I have a problem with a leaky waterfall constructed of wood frame covered with wiremesh and mortar and rocks, .... Hi Randall, The systems I deal with use an EPDM rubber liner under the rock and gravel...this liner effectively solves the leak problems inherent with mortared ponds. There are sealers available (silicone or expandable foam), but they may be a temporary fix, since the mortared joints will continue to shift over time. Check locally with masonry supply houses to find a product most appropriate for your use....good luck and let me know if I can provide any further information. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` We are having problems with Ferry rings on our lawn, we were wondering if you had any suggestions on how to get rid of them. Hi Mike, There are no sure-fire cures (that I know of) for fairy ring. It's a common condition on land that once supported a forest. The dark green is caused by the fruiting bodies of the fungus breaking down and adding nitrogen to the soil. The following method will help to keep the rings from spreading: With a spading fork, aerate the outside edge of the ring - shoot for 10 - 12 holes per square foot. Mix up a solution of one tablespoon of liquid detergent to one gallon of water ( you may need 10 gal. or more) and pour this mixture into the aeration holes. Water the entire area thoroughly. Repeat this procedure two or three times per season. Also, if you feed the entire area well, the darker green of the fairy ring won't be so evident.
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Dan Eskelson
