[lainey]

Hi all. I am very new to Allotments only having mine for about 4 weeks, I have removed all weeds and marked, dug and manured my beds ready for wintering. The problem is now all but 2 of my bed are waterlogged. My soil is a little clayey. I have only dug one spade deep and that is where the water is staying. I have been up today and dug a small area on one of the beds 2 spades deep and I could see the water running down. Everyone seems to be in same situation some people have ponds on there allotments though double digging and leaving open only to find when it rains it stays there. Our allotment only opened in July and I was wondering if the soil was very compact due to all the heavy machinery used on the sight. Hope someone can help so frusterating. By the way I am from Manchester.

[Aunt Sally]

It does sound as though there is a pan (very compacted soil) deep down

If they have had heavy machinary on the site then that may well have caused it.

Dig a few test pits to see how far down it is.

[lainey]

Thank you for reply. Nice sunny day forcast for tomorrow so will get digging. The problem is there is a membrane 3 ft down what the council put in because they said site was contaminated because it used to be a coal storage site. just hope its not compact under that.

[Yorkie]

I wonder if that membrane is in itself the problem?

If it's there to stop contaminants seeping back up, I suspect it might prevent water seeping away too?

[jimbeekeeper]

The problem is there is a membrane 3 ft down what the council put in because they said site was contaminated because it used to be a coal storage site. just hope its not compact under that.

I think you have answered your own question!

How old is this site? Have they not had this issue before on the site?

It sound like your council have created a bog garden for you all, if done properly it should have been designed to drain away water on top, and likewise contaminates below.

[lainey]

The site was opened July this year. When work was being dont earlier this year it actually flooded some surrounding gardens. They said they had done somthing wrong and had amended it, they built a pond on the outskirts and also a sump. I used to play on the site known as the croft when I was a kid and there was never any waterlogging even in heavy rainfall.

[jimbeekeeper]

The site was opened July this year.

I think someone needs to speak to the council ASAP

[Aunt Sally]

I think someone needs to speak to the council ASAP

I agree.  You need to know what they have done and why it has created a waterloggig problem.

[lainey]

Council have ran out of funding and dont seem to want to know. Not even had winter wet weather yet god knows what it will be like

[Aunt Sally]

That should not stop them from telling you what has been done on the site so far and why it was needed.

[jimbeekeeper]

I would suggest that at only 3ft down, you could easyly create your own drainage....BUT given all the expense (despite running out) of money they have gone to to keep out whats below, there might be a reason no to puncher the liner...you might not have any plant left if they do grow.

And there could be legal implications if you did puncher it, but (again) 3ft is a poor effort to in-fill. I have worked on contaminated land sites where they dig out 2m and then line then ADD back 3m of clean soil


BUT (again) on the other hand you have first hand experience of playing on it as a kid, and it did you no harm???

Elf and safety gone mad?

[lainey]

Hi all thanks for your replys  Have been on today and have dug lots of holes on the allotment and also the perimitre, the lining is only 2 ft deep and it looks a bit like fleece a little fluffy. we have found a piece on the land a have tested for drainage, water flowed through freely. Apparently there was only 2% contamination which I am assuming is the coal that used to stored there. They said they put lining down to cover there backs but the type of lining it is would not stop any contamination seeping back up. The perimiter has no lining but they have planted fruit bushes for public to pick and eat, which my daughter loves doing with bluberries. We now know that workers went on scrapped up coal and cinders with heavy machinery then laid lining. Dropped what was supposed to be top soil (NOT) and then played around the site on the heavy machinery so I think we have probably about 2 ft of really compact soil above lining and 2ft below it. Done a water test at 2ft to see how fast water drain and left for the night covered. 

[hamstergbert]

This sounds like a job for...... double-strake raised bed man!

[potatogrower]

tough job. if the situation is the same all over then would it be a good idea to chip in and hire a mini digger and all the rounds at everyone's allotment and use a rotivator to help break it all up?

[lainey]

Hi all. Been on again today and dug a hole just over 2ft on my allotment and I have no lining. I have hit coal chippings and cinders which my Dad has said is coke that was dumped when he was a kid, can I plant on top of this or is it going to affect PH levels.