A large amount of water interferes with farming and contributes to the destruction of structures. In addition, excess moisture leaches nutrients from the soil. The foundation, which is constantly exposed to water, is destroyed over time, so it is important for owners who are faced with such a problem to figure out how to drain the area from water with their own hands.
Water drainage is necessary only on loamy and clay soils. Sandstones do not need water drainage, since they themselves play the role of drainage.
Choose a method
To drain the summer cottage from water, use several methods. Before you start choosing the right one, you need to consider the following nuances:
- How permeable is the soil in the area.
- In what direction does groundwater move?
- The time it takes to complete the work.
- The number of buildings on the territory of the suburban area.
Method 1
It is possible to organize the diversion of groundwater without using pipes. To do this, you need to dig deep trenches, which are subsequently filled with filter material. The best option for this purpose will be gravel, sand. They need to be covered in layers. In this case, it is advisable to use peat, which effectively protects the backfill from dirt.
Method 2
You can drain the site from groundwater using a pipe system. Experts recommend using perforated polymer pipes. The pipe must be laid below the freezing level of the ground.
When using ordinary sewer pipes to drain liquid, holes must be made in them.
How to do the job step by step
Instructions for the device of soft drainage
You can use the economical method. But in the process of performing work, you need to be prepared for high labor costs. For the drainage device you will need:
- hacksaw;
- shovel;
- drainage pipes;
- manual tamper;
- building level and rail;
- wheelbarrow;
- geotextile;
- crushed stone;
- sand.
The order of work will be as follows:
- At the initial stage, you need to dig trenches, which should be parallel to each other. It is important to keep a distance of 4 meters between the ditches. It is worth noting that the step must be done taking into account the density of the soil. On heavy soils take a smaller step.
- Choose a place to install a drainage well.
- When doing work, you need to make a system with a slope to drain water into the well. For this purpose, it is worth using the building level.
Closed drainage device technology
- When installing the system, the ends of the dug trenches are connected into one and led to the drainage well. It is worth remembering that the trench should be sloped. If it is impossible to do the work in this way, you need to make several drainage wells.
- A pillow of a mixture of gravel and sand is laid at the bottom of the trenches. The layer thickness can reach 50 mm.
- Now you can start laying the drainage pipes. The most commonly used perforated polymer products.
- Before laying pipes, it is important to wrap them with geotextile. This is necessary to prevent clogging of the holes during their operation. An analogue of the material is coconut fiber.
- After laying the pipes in place, the trench is covered with gravel and sand. In the process of performing work, it is necessary to limit the contact of pipes with the soil as much as possible.
How to do spot drainage
If there is no desire to make a large-scale system, you can give preference to point drainage.
- For this purpose, holes are made along the perimeter of the site, the depth of which must be at least 2 m. A distance of 5 m can be maintained between the holes. The diameter of the holes depends on the size of the pipe, which will subsequently need to be inserted into them.
- A mixture of sand and gravel is poured into the bottom of the holes.
- At the next stage, pipe sections wrapped with coconut fiber are inserted vertically. It is important to choose a pipe diameter so that the drainage pump can pass into it.
Using this method, it is necessary to regularly pump water out of the wells. On average, once a week is enough. Pumping out water is simple, the process does not take much time.
The above method of draining the site is applicable only if you need to remove a small amount of water at a low groundwater level.
Drainage of marshland
In order to drain a swampy area, you can resort to a not quite standard, but effective method.
- Work should begin with marking the direction of the drainage trenches. There is no need for large wide trenches. The ditch should be up to 30 cm wide, and two bayonet spades deep. Marking is carried out using a rope and pegs. The ditch system should be made with a herringbone slope. Boundary ditches can merge into one main one.
- Before you start digging, you need to lay out polyethylene on both sides of the future ditch. Sod is laid on one side, and a layer of infertile soil is laid on the other side.
- After the ditch is ready, empty plastic bottles can be placed in two layers (pre-rolled). They are an analogue of special drainage pipes. They are durable and perform their function well.
- Barren soil is laid on top of the bottles up to half of the ditch, rammed.
- At the final stage, the turf is laid.
The main function of this method is the flow of water through free gaps into the main ditch. Thus, after rains and snow, the soil will dry out faster.
Video
Watch a video on how to make drainage of the site:
This video shows how drainage works are performed on the site:
Photo
At one time, swampy areas caused genuine fear in a person, becoming the object of many legends and myths. But today everything is different. Now we deliberately create decorative swamps on our plots, because this is the only way to grow charming representatives of marsh flora on them.
We offer you simple instructions for creating a decorative swamp and caring for it.
What is an ornamental swamp?
A swamp is a piece of land, the soil on which, for some reason, is waterlogged. In conditions when most of the minerals are washed out of the soil, not all plants are able to survive. Due to the development of a whole range of mosses, sedges, cattail, reeds and other plants of swamps, the soil environment is within pH 4.5-6 - it has a pronounced acidic character.
Do not confuse a wetland and a swamp. In the first case, the mirror of the reservoir is clearly visible, and peat is either absent or its thickness is less than 30 cm.
In nature, swamps are formed mainly as follows:
- the existing reservoir is gradually overgrown with swamp plants;
- a separate area is swamped artificially or for natural reasons.
Each of the above principles can be used as an approach when making a decorative swamp.
Approaches to the arrangement of a swamp in a summer cottage
Despite the stagnant nature of the water that saturates the swampy soil, it must slowly decrease into the underlying layers. This compensates for the influx of fluid during precipitation and irrigation. For this reason, the construction of a swamp is different from the construction of any other.
If your site has sandy soil, then it is best to refuse to create a decorative swamp, because. in this case, the water will go too quickly into the lower layers of the soil.
In the figure above, we have shown some options for arranging a decorative swamp:
- if there is a swamp. This is the simplest option, which involves ennobling the allocated area with plants, as well as maintaining an increased moisture content in the soil due to periodic watering;
- if there is a pond. In this case, the swamps serve as an intermediate transitional link, smoothing the coastline. The main difficulty lies in the design of the line connecting the reservoir and the site with waterlogged soil. Usually it is hidden with the help of plants or small architectural forms, for example, decorative bridges;
- if there is a stream. Artificially created floodplains look appropriate next to the streams. As in the previous case, a zone with waterlogged soil, planted with swamp plants, makes the man-made hydraulic structure more natural.
In the second and third cases, approaches to the arrangement of a wetland are reduced to the following works ( rice. 2):
- Decide on the location and area. The specific conditions created in a swampy place can cause the active development of insects and reptiles. Therefore, choose a secluded place away from home. When planning the size of a reservoir, keep in mind that even a small swamp needs serious care.
- Remove the layer of sod. You will not need it for further work, so you can use it to make compost.
- Dig a hole 50 cm deep. In the process of excavating the pit, keep the fertile soil layer. It will be required for backfilling.
- Lay a drainage layer on the bottom. It can be gravel, crushed stone, broken brick. The main thing is that it ensures the spread of liquid under the entire stain of the structure.
- Cover the drain with sand. To prevent the waterproofing film from tearing, fill the sharp edges of the material of the drainage layer with sand. Try to compact it.
- Waterproof the pit. Line its bottom and walls with a special pond film. Calculate its size so that there is a small margin (about 30 cm) for laying on the surface around the perimeter of the pit. Press down the edges with stones.
- Make holes in the film. In an artificial swamp, water should not stagnate. Therefore, in the bottom for each square meter, make one hole with a diameter of about 1 cm.
- Install a water level control device. On a soft waterproof substrate, vertically install a piece of pipe (PVC, asbestos, metal), and place a rod (stick, rail, etc.) inside it. The pipe, as a communicating vessel, will fill with water as the soil moisture increases.
- Fill the bottom with expanded clay. It will serve as a kind of filter and prevent clogging of the holes in the film. In addition, expanded clay has good hygroscopic properties and will retain water, adjusting the balance.
- Fill the hole with soil. To do this, use a mixture of fertile soil and peat in a ratio of 1: 2.
- plant your plants. More on this below.
What plants to choose
We have come close to the question, for the sake of which several square meters of a summer cottage are turned into a swamp. This is done mainly in order to create specific conditions for the growth of beautiful plants.
The following plants will look appropriate along the banks of a decorative swamp:
- Willow. You can plant a white or brittle willow, which will provide excellent shade for other marsh plants. They are undemanding to the composition of the soil, but in dry periods they need abundant watering.
- Deren. All types of turf are suitable for planting. Like willow, this plant is moisture-loving and does not require special care. Seedlings with a well-developed root system are planted in spring.
- Elder. The common and Canadian elderberry fit perfectly into the composition. Grows on any type of soil, tolerates drought well. For planting, it is best to purchase biennial seedlings.
In order to avoid damage to the waterproofing of the swamp by growing roots, trees and shrubs are planted at a distance of 1-2 m from the coastline. It is possible that a layer of geotextile is additionally laid under the film.
Plant a little closer to the swamp:
- Heather. Possesses excellent decorative qualities all season long. At the same time, it is quite demanding to care for. It is planted in moist peaty soil to a depth of 30 cm. Every year in the spring it must be fed with mineral fertilizers for heathers (according to the instructions), sprayed with water in a dry season, constantly monitoring soil moisture (heather does not tolerate drought well).
- Cotoneaster. Creeping cotoneaster varieties look appropriate, which will reveal their decorative qualities in full force in the fall. Unpretentious, seedlings are planted to a depth of 50 cm, after which they are immediately mulched. Additional watering is carried out only in a dry season.
- Juniper. Dwarf varieties of juniper are in perfect harmony with the environment. The plant does not require special care. Planted at a depth of about 70 cm.
- bathing suit. Herbaceous plant, which is perfect for decorating the coastal zone. Seeds are sown to a depth of 10 cm. It requires periodic weeding, loosening and watering.
- Iris marsh. A perennial herbaceous plant with beautiful flowers, which looks appropriate on the shore of a reservoir. Prefers fertile soil and does not like to grow in the shade. Seeds are sown to a depth of 10 cm in fertilized soil. Needs constant care: weeding, loosening the soil, watering and top dressing.
If you don't know how to decorate your swamp, just visit the nearest swamp and look at ready-made solutions from nature. Here you can also dig up individual specimens to plant them in your area.
Directly in moist soil will grow:
- cattail. Many still confuse it with reeds. It has recognizable brown inflorescences in the form of an ear. It looks good along the edges of the swampy area. It is better to plant in containers, because. cattail grows rapidly.
- Sedge. Peat-forming herbaceous plant that grows rapidly on waterlogged soil. Propagated by dividing the bush, planted to a depth of 20 cm. Does not require special care, but needs growth control.
- reeds. A plant without which no large ornamental swamp can do. Propagated by dividing the bush, planted to a depth of 30 cm in autumn or spring. It grows quickly, so you have to control its growth.
- astilba. A beautifully flowering herbaceous plant. Undemanding in care, moisture-loving. Needs periodic top dressing. Propagated by dividing the rhizome and bush, planted in late spring to a depth of 30 cm.
- wild rosemary. Evergreen moisture-loving shrub that prefers places with medium light. Planted in a mixture of peat, acidic soil and sand to a depth of 20 cm.
This is not a complete list of plants that can decorate your site. Do not forget that many of them do not tolerate strong lighting, so they are placed in the shade of taller marsh plants. Build the composition as follows: plant taller plants with powerful foliage at the edges, lower ones closer to the center, etc. - to the swampy area. Examples of the correct combination of various representatives of aquatic flora are discussed in.
Ornamental bog care
Only under natural conditions, the swamp easily preserves all the diversity of aquatic flora. A decorative swamp of any size requires special attention. No wonder experts call it one of the most difficult elements of landscape design. Here is a list of the main operations that will have to be periodically performed when caring for a decorative swamp:
- Watering. Preservation of the water balance is the most important condition for the development of marsh flora. Control the water level with a pipe that reaches the bottom of the swamp, and a rod that is placed in it. Water should saturate the soil, but not form a mirror on its surface. The frequency of irrigation depends on climatic conditions and the location of the swamp.
- Weeding. Despite the fact that the marshy soil is depleted in minerals, it can serve as an excellent environment for moisture-loving weeds. To prevent them from drowning out authentic swamp plants, remove them periodically.
- top dressing. The main task is to maintain the acidity of the soil. Use acidic fertilizers for this purpose, such as chloride and ammonium sulfate. Acidity control is carried out using a litmus indicator or an electronic pH meter, making sure that the pH value is in the range of 4.5-5.5.
- thinning. In nature, in wetlands, there is a constant competition between various aquatic plants. To prevent one of the plants from overwhelming all the others, you will have to act as a regulator. Remove some of those plants that you think overwhelm their neighbors.
Other decorative elements
In an effort to decorate a decorative swamp with small architectural forms, be careful. Such reservoirs look advantageous only with a minimalist approach, when a limited number of items are used as decorative elements. For example, a small wooden bridge thrown across the border of a reservoir and an adjacent swamp will look good. In this case, the design of the bridge will mask the most difficult part of the formation of such a hydraulic hybrid - the line of their separation.
Moss-covered snags of the original form look good on a swampy area. Several large stones can be placed along the perimeter of the decorative swamp.
The installation of a variety of lighting fixtures must be approached selectively. We recommend using them only when they are needed from a practical point of view. The paths lined with natural stone look good next to such a reservoir. Terraced structures will also be appropriate.
If you are not afraid of difficulties and you are full of desire to turn part of your site into a swamp, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with some.
If the fact of the close occurrence of groundwater was discovered on the acquired site, then involuntarily it will be necessary to carry out drainage work. This is a set of measures aimed at removing excess moisture from the site.
What is terrible groundwater
In such areas, the volume of the soil layer in which the root system of plants can develop is reduced. And cold groundwater at the beginning of their growing season weakens the vital activity of the roots. The roots do not penetrate deep into the soil, and if they penetrate during a temporary decrease in the water level, they die off during the subsequent rise. Often, seedlings grow well in such areas in the first years after planting, but die with age. So if you want to set up a real garden, and not just decorate the site with annuals, you need to work hard.
Drainage around the head
The most effective tubular drainage system using perforated plastic pipes. They are laid in trenches at a depth of 60-75 cm on clay soil; 75-90 cm on loam; 90-100 cm - on sandy soil. Drains must necessarily have a slight slope so that the water collected in the pipes does not stagnate, but flows into a common absorbing well (about 1 m deep), which is arranged at the lowest point of the site. You can lay the pipes in a herringbone pattern - this is when side pipes (7.5 cm in diameter) branch off the main drainage pipe (diameter 10 cm). The main pipe should again go into the well. In general, depending on the situation, the water outlet can be directed to a common bypass ditch (usually in garden partnerships with problematic soil it is) or a nearby reservoir.
If something doesn’t work out with your pipes, you can fill the drains with crushed stone, coarse gravel, or lay brushwood.
To remove water from the surface, you can dig open grooves (again, under a slope) and decorate with the same gravel. True, it makes no sense to arrange open grooves on sandy soil - their walls crumble very quickly, and the grooves themselves are washed out.
If the area is low
Where is the water to be diverted to if the land on the site of the former lowland swamps (in the floodplain of the river) has been allocated for use? You should choose the lowest points on the site, dig deep drainage wells there (much deeper than the groundwater level) and fill them with large rubble or gravel. The entire drainage system will converge into these wells.
In addition to this, you can use imported soil to raise the level of your site. It's costly and time consuming, but worth it. With the subsequent plowing of the imported land with the existing layer of organic matter "preserved" by the swamp, the fertility of the soil increases. Plots on reclaimed lowland peatlands do not need organic fertilizers for a long time.
Plot next to raised bogs
The principle of "work" of the raised bog differs from the lowland one. The raised bog is formed under the conditions of stagnant surface waters on flat depressions of the watersheds, underlain by impermeable rocks. Raised bog is usually not associated with groundwater and exists due to the influx of moisture from atmospheric precipitation. The soil here is poor in terms of mineral nutrition and strongly acidic.
To deoxidize the soil, it is better to use dolomite flour (applied in the fall), which “works” for several years. In emergency cases and to quickly reduce acidity, you can use slaked lime, chalk. And be sure to bring meadow soil and compost. Then over time this area will become fertile.
On a note:
The drainage system (or drains) lowers the groundwater level, thereby improving the physical properties of the soil and providing the necessary conditions for growing plants. The uppermost aquifer should be no closer than 1.5-2 m from the surface of the earth.
It happens that a summer resident gets a wetland for use. There is little joy from this, but do not despair, because many effective ways have been developed to deal with this shortcoming. Even the territory of the world-famous Versailles was once an impenetrable swamp, and many botanical gardens, for example, in Sukhumi, are located where even a hundred or two years ago it was impossible to even pass.
swampy areas
Many try to deal with excess moisture by filling the area with brought sand or earth - this is a gross mistake that will not bring results. The swamp is very tenacious, being the most resistant hydraulic system, so in just a year or two the land will again become swampy. For an effective fight, you need to resort to other, longer, more complex and costly technologies, but all the efforts are worth it.
First you need to decide on the type of swamp, because they are lowland and upland, and the differences between them are very significant, therefore the methods of struggle are different. Lowland swamps are located in relief depressions, excessive moisture is observed due to the close occurrence of groundwater. In such areas, the soil itself is very fertile, contains a large amount of nutrients and even peat, but plants, and especially fruit and berry bushes and trees, grow poorly, disappearing in just a couple of years, so in order to grow a real garden and vegetable garden, and not a flower bed with unpretentious annuals, you will have to put a lot of effort.
Pond in the garden
Plants disappear due to the fact that the moist earth does not allow enough oxygen to pass through, and the roots suffocate, and groundwater contributes to their decay. Also, toxic products (aluminum salt, nitrates, various types of gases, acids) are often formed in wet swampy soil, preventing plant growth.
Methods for draining lowland swamps
Drainage of lowland swamps is possible using the following methods:
Help from professionals
You can invite a team of specialists who, with the help of pumps, will almost instantly pump out all the excess water from the site, significant drainage can be observed on the same day. But it is quite expensive, and sometimes the problem of waterlogging comes back.
Sanding
The introduction of sand in equal proportions with the parent rock improves the quality of the soil, and air exchange is also enhanced. In order to improve the yield of the resulting soil, it is recommended to add humus to it, which will allow you to grow vegetables and herbs on the site.
Drainage
In order to effectively and permanently drain a swampy area, all experts recommend making drains or drainage. It is best done with a plastic pipe system with small holes in the walls. They should be laid in specially dug ditches with a depth of about 60-70 cm for clay, 75-85 for loam and up to a meter for sandy areas. Drains must be pulled out with a slope, so the water in them will not stagnate, but will be able to drain into a sewer, well or pond, this should be the lowest point of the site.
Trees in the swamp
The most efficient way is to use a herringbone system, in which small pipes collect excess moisture from the entire area and carry it to the main pipe, which removes water from the area. In swampy garden farms, as a rule, there is already a common drainage ditch, in case of its absence, water can be diverted to the nearest reservoir. You can also dig a well, the lower boundary of which will be below the groundwater level, fill it with rubble, water will flow into it. With such an integrated approach, the drainage of the site will be noticeable in a couple of days - a week. The drains themselves can be covered with earth, but to facilitate their care, they can be covered with gravel or crushed stone.
open ditches
To remove excess moisture directly from the surface of the earth, open ditches can be made, the edges of which should be beveled by about 20 degrees to avoid shedding, but this method is not used in sandy areas, since the ditches quickly collapse and the sand is washed out. This method of drying is very common, it can be seen in almost every garden. The disadvantage of this method is the gradual sprinkling, clogging of the watercourse with plant particles and debris, and water blooming, so these structures must be regularly cleaned with a conventional shovel.
French ditches
In France, the drainage of wetlands is carried out using deep ditches covered with rubble. For the system to be effective, you must either dig trenches and lead them into a well, or dig ditches to a layer of sand that will let water through. Such ditches are more aesthetic, do not clog and do not bloom, but when they are clogged with earth, cleaning is very complicated. But the ditch can be disguised as a path, strewn with pebbles, rubble, or laid out wooden slices on top.
wells
The technology of their work is similar to ditches, for this it is necessary to dig holes a meter deep, about half a meter in diameter at the bottom point and up to two at the top. They should be dug at the lowest points of the site, and then covered with rubble. All excess water will drain into such wells.
dig a pond
After the construction of a decorative pond, excess water will drain into it and evaporate, and soon there will be a significant draining of the site. For these purposes, the Cross Canal was built a long time ago in the French residence of the monarchs of Versailles - the effectiveness of the method is obvious.
Drainage of swampy areas
tree planting
Some tree species can save a wetland from waterlogging. The most useful for these purposes willow and birch, which can evaporate a large amount of moisture through the leaf blades. These trees qualitatively dry nearby soil areas, however, it may take several years to completely drain the area. You can think over the design of the site in advance, initially planting only moisture-loving crops, and when the trees have completed their task, move on to the desired plant species.
Raised beds
In order to be able to grow vegetables and herbs, wetland owners should make raised beds, so excess moisture will collect in the ditches between the beds, and the areas themselves will become noticeably drier. Moreover, there is such a pattern: the higher the site is raised, the more diverse crops can be grown on it. Many people think that farming is impossible in waterlogged areas, but one need only look at photographs of a Dutch or Finnish garden surrounded by a complex system of canals to be convinced of the effectiveness of the method. Indeed, in these countries, with the help of technology and labor, almost everything is grown, and they also make good money on it.
imported soil
It is possible to raise the level of the site with the help of additionally imported land, which, after plowing, will mix with fertile, but heavy marshy soils, as a result, the site will become suitable for growing crops and very fertile, experts note that cultivated marshy lands do not require fertilization for several more years.
reconcile
It is not necessary to fight the swampy area, it can be interesting to beat the unusual moisture content of the summer cottage: dig a pond, plant it with moisture-loving plants, choosing the design of a traditional swamp corner. In such conditions, lingonberries, cranberries, iris, Volzhanka, hydrangea, rhododendron, spirea, thuja, chokeberry and cotoneaster feel great. Fern and girlish grapes will complement the beauty of the swamp garden. Perhaps you will like such beauty so much that you no longer want to change anything.
Arrangement of a reservoir
The raised swamp is formed on watersheds, that is, hills, and does not depend on the level of groundwater. Excess moisture in such areas is formed due to the fact that incoming precipitation is delayed, not being able to seep below due to the impermeable horizon, most often it is clay. The soil of raised bogs is not very fertile and rather acidic. To use such areas, it is necessary to reduce the acidity of the soil; dolomite flour, slaked lime and chalk are suitable for this. Also, fertile land and manure must be constantly brought to such places in order to get a plot suitable for growing vegetables in a couple of years.
Becoming the owner of a swampy area, do not despair, because if you know what and how to do it right, you can not only make this piece of land suitable for growing vegetables, berries and fruits, but also build a country house on it. It is only necessary to approach this important matter comprehensively, responsibly and wisely. From the foregoing, we can conclude that there are a huge number of ways to deal with a wetland, but it may turn out that even these effective methods will not help, and then it remains only to accept and equip such a site in the country. To do this, there are a huge number of different effective ways that will help even decorate such a site.