Our property has the opposite problem that California is facing right now, particularly in the spring. We get way too much water flowing over our property from snow melt and other run-off further up the slopes on the south and west sides of the property. At times in the spring we probably have 5-6 distinct streams running across various parts of the property, including right into the driveway. So we are constantly struggling with erosion and washout in our drive and the gardens stay wet for a long time. If we could even get them dried out a week or two earlier, we could get our cool season planting like peas, potatoes and brassicas done much sooner.
So part of our landscape design is to build in some swales to help direct the water better. It’s not an insignificant expense and there are other things that would be more fun to spend the money on, but we’re hoping this work will pay dividends for years to come. Today our excavator is starting the work, so excited to see what kind of difference it makes. The main difference won’t be apparent until next spring, but even during big rain storms we sometimes have a limited version of the issues. So it should help with the drainage in general.
The elderberry will enjoy those wetter spots! They naturally show up on stream banks and help with erosion.
ah, good call. was trying to think about some plants I could put on the “banks”
Have you guys studied Geoff Lawton’s stuff on permaculture, designing swales to manage water, etc? Jack Spirko (of the Survival Podcast, who has employed a lot of Lawton’s techniques) had a pretty impressive video a week or so ago showing his property in Texas after a massive storm. The swale system managed the water like a champ.
no Steve, but I’ll check it out. Have looked at various articles here and there and our landscape designer had some good ideas. Our excavator guy has a lot of experience as well.
Lawton is an Aussie. Totally inspiring stuff and a lot of great videos. He has one explaining a moving pen system that raised chickens w no additional feed, generating tons of compost, and prepping a long swath of land for next year’s garden. Some really cool techniques.
here is a view from the top of the swale along the tree line.
Maybe add a few wet soil trees to manage the problem long term. List of Standing Water and Wet Soil Trees
All of the trees listed below will flourish in wet areas, even standing water:
Atlantic White Cedar
Bald Cypress
Black Ash
Freeman Maple
Green Ash
Nuttal Oak
Pear
Pin Oak
Planetree
Pond Cypress
Pumpkin Ash
Red Maple
River Birch
Swamp Cottonwood
Swamp Tupelo
Sweetbay Magnolia
Water Tupelo
Willow
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/wet-soil-trees.htm
RL Fitzgerald, yep that’s another thing we’ll be doing
just takes 5-10 years for a tree to get big enough to matter OR the cost for larger trees quickly becomes prohibitive
I remember working with my dad and we would cut down a maple and water would pour out of them.
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