Quick Fix Drainage

[whiskyman]

Any advice for my raised bed to aid drainage in time for my runner beans patch?

[Bigmallly]

Get a fork put it in full depth than move it back & forth or a long bar hammered into the ground and moved back & forth.

[whiskyman]

Done your advice with the long bar, had hammered the bar in 2 feet and moved the bar in large circles. seemed to have loosened the soil underneath the water level but still not draining

[alldigging]

What's further down? Apart from more water?

[Bigmallly]

Could there be a burst pipe underneath or does the level go down.

[whiskyman]

Nothing underneath but some stones I am hitting but can sink the bar 2 feet in most places. Previous tenants have buried anything from windows, carpets and concrete in other parts of the garden, already moved at least a tonne of concrete to the top of the garden so won't be surprised if something is buried underneath. Always arguing with the council, they want me to get rid of the concrete and not prepared to pay for skips for other people's rubbish. I'm always telling them to provide me a skip for free.

Yes Mal there a road behind my house that's 4 feet above my level of my garden. You think that's the problem? If so I should raise my parts of the garden I want to grow to the level of the road?

[Bigmallly]

It's a tricky one isn't it? You can't be expected to raise the garden 4ft. I would wait & see if the water level goes down..........wish I could give better advice but can't think of anything constructive. How long has the water been puddled like that?

[whiskyman]

The water been there now for at least 3 hours

[Bigmallly]

It's a lot of water to gather in just 3 hours, have you had a lot of rain?............It's obviously collecting from somewhere plus as you say, you have tried making drainage holes.

[whiskyman]

oh sorry I added the water myself to test the drainage, should have mentioned that.

The water has been there for 3 hours(more now) and has stayed the same level

[Bigmallly]

Ok, how does a pond sound?..............

[whiskyman]

Ok, how does a pond sound?..............

Does look like, just had another look and the water level has'nt gone down at all.

[Bigmallly]

That's strange isn't it. I can only assume you have very compacted clay soil.

[veggiechicken]

Have you grown anything in that spot before?

[Alison]

Looks more like a tank, if you'd actually wanted something to hold water then it would have leaked.

Was it dry before you put the water in or was water already coming in from the ground?