The type of plants to sow will be determined by the garden drainage in our gardens. If we want to have certain sorts of plants, having good garden drainage is what we need. If your garden drainage is poor, we are able to remedy the problem or plant, only shallow rooted plants or those tolerating lots of moisture.
Choose the area on your property where you want to plant a garden and check your garden drainage. One of the best ways to check for the drainage is by digging a hole 2 feet deep or larger, and fill it with water from your garden hose. If after 24 hours water still remains in the hole, your garden drainage is poor.
Poor garden drainage can be as simple as compacted subsoil or hardpad, in which the soil particles have been cemented together by a collection of minerals.
By using a deep cultivator to break up the subsoil and by adding some compost or porous material should solve this problem. If not you may want to check another area of your yard.
If the problem still exists you may want to try creating slopes and/or hills in your garden by simply adding more soil to the area. If your soil is very hard or has a large amount of clay content you can replace a few inches of the hard soil with a top quality topsoil. If after all this is, it is still not working, you will probably need to install a garden drainage system.
There is also a possibility that your water table is too high, in which case you can plant shallow rooted plants, elevate your garden or lower your water table. Your water table could be only inches from the surface or it can be hundreds of feet down.
If you are in a low lying area you can dig trenches above your garden to divert the water or by installing a drainage system. Always making sure that the excess water is draining away from any structures.
If the area that you tested for garden drainage is a relatively small area, you can still utilize the area by choosing plants that can tolerate plenty of moisture. Some areas of the South have swamp like conditions and you will find that some plants, such as a variety of iris, love the area to show off their beautiful vibrant colors.
When installing a garden drainage system, make sure your pipes are at the right level and the direction of the water flow is away from your house or any other structure on your property. You don't want to cause any other problems such as structural damage to any of your buildings. If you are having a problem figuring out how to install a drainage system you may want to consult a professional. A landscape designer or a lawn care service company might be a good place to start.
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