Anyone have any tips to help with flooding.. I think the owner put these bushes in to soak up water, but they were over grown so I cut them back last year . The soil is heavy clay here in this area because the builders just backfilled with what they dug out for basements. This will be my first full season with the lawn. It is a hot mess. I’m gonna hit the whole area with tenacity spray in a few weeks to help try to limit the dandelion problem that this yard had last year. I did core aeration done in the fall in the plugs were only around a half inch. We didn’t have a whole lot of rain last year. We are in Ohio.
Any tips I’d take thanks!
by RunDibo
1 Comment
Grass will very likely not grow easily in these wet conditions. All turfgrasses come from dry, sunny areas with loamy and sandy soils. Think prairies, grasslands, and savannahs. Your job is to replicate that environment to the best of your ability.
You can start by core aerating your yard and broadcast spreading playground sand. Sand particles are much bigger than clay particles and allow for better water drainage. You can add 1-2 inches of sand if you intend on starting over with new seed, or add only .25-.5 inches to allow the existing grass to grow up and through the new soil layer.
Get a soil sample to know what kind and how much fertilizer to add, because a generic option may offer too much or too little nitrogen. They are often mixed in with weed seeds, also.
I would also plan a landscaped border around the perimeter of your yard, including trees and shrubs suited for wet conditions. I have no idea where you live, so check with your nearest University’s horticulture databases or a local County Extension Office. These large woody shrubs are adapted to grow through clay soils and effectively suck up as much water as possible, leaving the turf growing area a little bit dryer.