[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by DAVES

The real issue is the soil conditions around here as well as the amount of rain. If, I recall we get 40 inches of rain. It has to go somewhere.

The soil conditions. The soil here is sandy clay. Clay does not easily absorb water especially in a hard rain where we get a inch or more an hours. Many properties have an unbroken layer of clay just below the surface. Solutions, I've added 7000 lbs of manure to my 5,000 sq foot lawn. I am proudly a bit crazy. I did it over two years. You need to get it into the,"soil." I have a 1.5 inch drill bit on an extension. I drilled holes every six inches or so down 6 inches and filled them with a mix of perlite and manure. Obviously a lot of work. I also applied 200 pounds of gypsum to property. Unlike lime, it does not change the ph but does make the small clay particles bigger an more opened to water and air.

Grass simply will not survive if too wet and it does need air or the roots will rot.

An easier way to do it, far less work, far less effective. You can rent a lawn aerator or hire someone to do it. It pulls one inch plug out of your lawn. You can apply manure on top of your lawn and rake it in. Manure is most commonly used. Any organic matter,
compost etc will do the same thing. Best to use if you can find a source is organic matter from a pond, be sure what you get does not stink. Seeds from water plants will not grow in your lawn. Seeds in manure will.

The "sandy clay in our yards, both of them here, absorbed and drained water very well. If a person has standing water, it may have to be remedied with a $250 French drain. The soil is easy to dig and the contractors do it all of the time.

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by missyomama

Yesterdays rain was a doozy. I had water rushing out of all the downspouts. It created a river that ran down the side of my house made a turn in the back yard and ran downhill to the neighbors further down the hill. I am part way down a sidehill so I am getting water from the yards further up the hill from me. All of this water is eroding the roots of my grass.
Anyone know of someone that specializes in drainage issues?

I had to have my property regraded because of the river along side my house every time it rained hard. They had to put a berm in and dig a deeper trench between my house and the neighbor's house. Cost $700.