[Christo]

Well, not quite, but my site is waterlogged and a couple of beds are flooded (one was flowing like a river!). I don't have any raised beds unfortunately. Anyone got any experience of increasing the drainage of beds? I'm on a bit of a slope so that might be something to work with. Help me please......

[paintedlady]

Gravity always works best, hence "raised" beds ... doesn't have to be that high but enough for water to drain down.  If the soil is heavy clay, dig in sharp sand to improve drainage. 

If your plot has not been dug over yet, the soil could be compacted (especially clay) and water cannot soak or drain away thereby forming puddles and "rivers" especially during torrential rain (though in monsoon conditions we might all have the same problem  )

[Aidy]

Move to somewhere like ermmmm Blackpool  just sunny lazy days 
I would think that most ground would struggle with what is coming down at the moment and the intensity is mad.
What kind of ground is it, clay or sand etc

[Christo]

Move to somewhere like ermmmm Blackpool  just sunny lazy days 
I would think that most ground would struggle with what is coming down at the moment and the intensity is mad.
What kind of ground is it, clay or sand etc

Heavy wield clay. I suspect the beds where I have double-dug will not have such a bad problem. I'll probably double dig all the beds this winter.

[Aidy]

I think as PL suggests, raised beds will give you a quicker option, otherwise its hard graft getting the clay broken up, lots of muck n stuff worked in. I would think the green manure route will also help but it will be a longer job.

[aelf]

My plot flooded the first year I had it, and that was after a couple of days of steady rain. I decided to dig a trench down the full length of the plot 3 feet deep and a spade width wide. As there was a lot of brick and rubble in the ground, I back-filled the trench with that, covered it in a thick layer of plastic bags (also dug out of the plot) and levelled it off with soil. The soil from the trench was used to raise one corner of the plot level with the rest of it. The rubble-filled trench is now a path and I have had no more flooding, even in the most torrential rain when everyone else is washed out 

[Christo]

Wow. That's quite some trench aelf! But if it solves the problem, it's well worth it. It would be too much heartache if the plot floods badly in spring.

I have quite a few narrow beds (1.2m wide). Do you reckon I should consider larger beds (I'm thinking less trenches to dig?)

[aelf]

You only need to do one long trench down the middle, then the water will drain into it off the rest of the plot (in theory  )

[Fisherman]

Problem with soakaways made of rubble is that they eventually fill back up with soil, clay and silt. Its worth putting an uderground perforated drainage pipe in the trench blocked at both end to temporarily contain the water. Plastic pallets / containers installed upside down can also be used instead of the perforated pipe. When it eventually drys out the water will seep back out of the pipe or containers into the ground. Better still if you have somewhere to drain to let the water flow away naturally via the pipe although this is likely to be impossible if you are in the middle of a large plot.

[mike1987]

ive got a majour water problem as has every other member on our site the problem is that we are about 3 foot lower than the surrounding land my way of overcoming this was to dig a rench from one end to the other down one side and i am currently digging a pond at the end of it