CLAY

krngillan

Hi,
I have a patch of lawn that is so wet.  I have dug a hole and there is about 5 inches of soil and then just clay for about a foot deep, I filled it with water and drilled some holes about another foot deep and the water is still there 24 hours later.
So drainage is a problem, I am thinking of taking the top layer of lawn off and making a gravel area instead, do you think this will work? or will the gravel just be swimming in water!!!
How best to approach this?

Nanny Beach

very sensible advice Rik56, w are on clay, our garden has a slight slope downward to the bottom, so with a lot of rain, in can get 6 inches underwater, around apples,pears, they have never come to any harm, the veg plot has raised beds surrounded by gravel paths, soil in them much improved, the nearby beds have just been planted with wet loving and marginals, so yes you really have to work with what you have (unless you are Richard Branson)

Novice23

We are also on heavy clay.  Had a small lawn area when we moved in which we ultimately dug up and gravelled over.   Did put down a membrane but over time soil does build up in the gravel and we do get weeds, but weeding gravel is easier.  Definitely better than soggy patch grass.  And better to walk on, especially when it has been raining.