Garden very wet & Soggy where the shade is

Hi all

Any ideas on the following:

At the end of my garden, where the grass is obstructed from sunshine by the fence panel, the grass/soil is very watery and muddy. There is ample light to the area, it's just that sunlight is blocked from the patch. A friend told me that the solution was to spike it with a fork, but surely, if it is this muddy, this won't help that much. To give you an idea of how wet it actually is, when you step on the grass your foot sinks in and leaves an imprint. It's very muddy, even though grass does grow there. Any ideas?

PS I have checked that there are no leaking pipes.

 

Sounds ideal for a bog garden
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg2/flat/module4/bog_garden_plants1.shtml

a pond
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/pond-dip/pond-making.htm

or just stick a Gunnera in there

 

Hi there - it won't just be lack of sunlight that is causing that wetness - perhaps the soil is compacted and your friend is right, forking it over and adding sharp sand to the holes may help with the drainage. Give it a try, or consider Steve's idea of a bog garden or pond, especially if it is a bit more than the soil being compacted.

 

Definitely go with the bog garden - if your foot is actually sinking it's not just compaction, although that is no doubt a factor.

You can only fight the conditions so far - it's much easier to work with what you've got than to permanently battle against adverse conditions.

 

Hi there not a big gardener but I do know that on wet side of old houses they used to plant pear trees dont know what sort but it might be an idea I know if correctly trained they can be espalier I believe is the word. It growns a thick trunk and has fruit bearing branches at 90 degrees to the main trunk other than that maybe ferns. a wood near me is very boggy in parts but grows massive ferns

 

Hi J W
You're not alone - there seem to be a lot of wet gardens recently!!! There is some info in gardeners corner on drainage & wet gardens on pages 2, 3, 4 of General Garden discussion. I agree with WD, Steve & Fran go with the flow, otherwise you'll be in a permanent battle with your garden! Don't give up - there's lots that will grow! - I'm jealous, my garden is bone dry sand on a slope!
Try this for info
http://www.rodsgarden.50megs.com/improvingsoil.htm
Try this one for plants that like it wet!
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/ext/Pubs/HO/HO_227.pdf

 

i have the same problem my lawn is soaking wet i sink if stand on it its that bad wat can i do i dont want a bog or a pond just a nice dry lawn for my kids and to play on its driving me round the bend i keep digging and forking it its all just water puddles help? they say willows are water drinkers

 

Hi Swompy - check out the drainage + wet gdn threads as mentioned above, otherwise sounds like a job for Lawn expert Will Dunkerly!

 

Hi Swompy - it sounds like you've already done pretty much everything you can. Don't aerate or fork when the soil is soaking wet, because all you'll do is smear the soil with the tines, and that won't help at all - you'll just end up with lots of holes that fill with water

If you can keep the kids off the wet area and let the grasses establish, you'll find that the drainage will improve as the roots develop, but in your case that doesn't sound as if it will be enough. Earthworms will help as well, as long as they don't drown :D Sorry I can't be more help, but as I said above, if it's really that wet, you'll always struggle with a lawn.