[Parsnip]

We had a walk up to the allotment this afternoon to measure up for my new shed and to work out the space for my new beds...it measure's 32.5 metres by 7 metres..I've taken some pics...

looking from the track...






This is where we propose to put the shed..( they have said the sheds need to go that end of the plot) you can see my neighbours shed in the pic, but he doesn't have the same slope problem..





We walked down to measure it and sank ankle deep in mud. You  can clearly see from pic 1, that it's on a slope..

It was cleared and rotovated by the lottie people before Christmas, which was great.

But the big question is, what on earth do we do for drainage..??

We actually haven't had that much rain, we are obviously going to have problems when we do...can I have some advice please

Thanks

[richyrich7]

Double dig the areas that get boggy that may help, in fact over the years aim to double dig the lot    Quite often the rotavator can create a pan at the depth of it's lowest digging point, it almost polishes the soil at that level making drainage a problem. There may be other underlying causes, but double digging is probably the cheapest and easiest first option.

Forgot don't do it till it's dried out else you'll have a remake of the somme on your hands  :shock:

[Parsnip]

Oh Rich, thanks I was worried it was a big issue.. :oops:

I'm a complete novice as you know

We live on flood plain although the lottie is a good bit away from the river.. it does get soggy...hey the allotments have been going for donkeys years..
 :?

All I need to do now is get my head around this double digging lark..

[shaun]

the way i see it is you have rotavated the plot (no harm there) and the soil is now open but the surrounded plots are compacted,so as it rains your plot is acting like a sponge.so unless you can dig a french or use some land drains to drain your plot theres not a lot you can do but wait until the weather picks up,my plot is very wet down one side because of this reason   but come summer its just fine apart from the last 2 summers that is

[woodburner]

Double digging a plot with dubious history is always a good idea IMHO, and especially when drainage is a problem.
There are a few other things you can do if it remains a problem, but with a bit of luck, a thorough digging over will sort it out.

[Parsnip]

the way i see it is you have rotavated the plot (no harm there) and the soil is now open but the surrounded plots are compacted,so as it rains your plot is acting like a sponge.so unless you can dig a french or use some land drains to drain your plot theres not a lot you can do but wait until the weather picks up,my plot is very wet down one side because of this reason   but come summer its just fine apart from the last 2 summers that is

Aah yes, I see..mmmm.

The plot is a reclaimed one..not sure how long it had been left..but quite some time, I believe..

Thanks both...

We walked away tonight, feet squelching in our walking boots all the way home and hubby said....

" This one's a new learning curve"...

and I said

"yup, you do the digging, I'll do the planting"  

tee hee...I just seemed so daunting :oops:

[azubah]

Raised beds?

Dig trenches to channel the water away?

Grow rice?

Hopefully it will dry out in spring.

Beans and potatoes do like a lot of water.

[peapod]

double dig first  
then sump drains
if not land drains
finally raised beds!!

(im trying sump drains this year   , tis cheaper)

[Parsnip]

double dig first  
then sump drains
if not land drains
finally raised beds!!

(im trying sump drains this year   , tis cheaper)

 

What's a sump drain?
 :oops:

[peapod]

Ive only just found out yesterday Snip! Apparently according to 'im indoors its a small (width) 3ft deep hole dug at the wettest end of the bed, fill with 1ft of lime chippings/gravel and the water likes to drain there
Cant guarantee itll work, but its cheaper than land drains and def worth a try  

[mumofstig]

Ay my old house the down pipe from the roof used to drain into a sump like Peapod is suggesting. Worked ok only ever saw it overtop once in 13 years. But think it would have to be at the lowest point of the plot, for the water to drain into it.

Good luck....with a bit of luck it'll stop raining soon

[Parsnip]

Ive only just found out yesterday Snip! Apparently according to 'im indoors its a small (width) 3ft deep hole dug at the wettest end of the bed, fill with 1ft of lime chippings/gravel and the water likes to drain there
Cant guarantee itll work, but its cheaper than land drains and def worth a try  

Thanks Pea.. and mumofstig   xx

The future's bright, the futures .. digging  .....,mmmmm...maybe in march :roll:  

[Salmo]

First, buy some wellies!!

If you look at any farmland now it has areas of standing water and all the ditches are running. We have had a lot of rain and you are only 50 miles West.

Do nothing until the rains stop and the water has a chance to drain away.

[Bombers]

I agree with Peapod. I used sump drains on my bottom corner where it pools.
First thing, dig a 3ft (at least) deep trench along the wettest part. Then, as you double dig along the plot, sling all your pebbles/rocks/boulders in the trench and back fill. keep increasing the trench length as you go, until you have finished double digging. I would think about raised beds on that end, or site your compost there? just my thought.

[richyrich7]

I'm seriously thinking of cutting a Y shape across my to plots with the stick running down the middle as a trench, I'm on the slope and all the top plots are holding water and drain off down the slope last June my plot was dryish 5" down but go down to 9" and some places you can see water running.  :roll:
So hopefully this would channel it past mine into the ditch thats on the next plot down.