One of the problems that every homeowner might face during a rainy season is stagnant water. Stagnant water usually occurs in a backyard which will definitely make it looks less attractive. There are a few reasons that can cause stagnant water, for example, soil conditions, a bad drainage system, overwatering, and others.
Having stagnant water doesn’t only make your backyard looks messy but it could also cause some problems like mud tracks, pest attraction, mosquito manifestation, and moss growth.
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How to Keep Backyard Free from Stagnant Water
We’ve prepared some points that you can use as a reference to check your backyard condition before contacting a professional to solve this. Keep reading the article below!
Check the Soil Type
Checking the condition of the soil is important since there are various types of soil that need different treatments. For example, clayey soil is the type of soil that is bad for drainage compared to sandy type. One of the ways to make a better soil condition is:
- To improve drainage and break up the hardness of the soil, change the clayey soil with organic elements like the bark of wood chips and leaves.
- Another simple and cheap alternative is by using compost.
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Lessen Water Quantity
A bad soil type will get worse when the water quantity is too much or overwatering. Overwatering usually happens when you’re watering your plants too much or too often.
- If you have an automatic watering machine, you would have to set it with the right amount and time. For example, set it to water the backyard once in the morning, and in the afternoon for 15-20 minutes each.
- Another point to take note of is, based on the rain intensity, you may only need to water your plants once a day or not at all. It’s because plants that already have enough nutrients won’t absorb more than they can take.
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Bring More Plants
Another way to improve the soil and drainage is by adding some plants that get easily thirsty like willow trees, pachysandra, and shrub. Those plants can suck up the extra water in your backyard which is good for you who live in areas with a lot of rain.
Upgrade Drainage System
Last but not least is by improving the drainage like the French drain which is the most favorite option since it can give a more attractive touch to the overall look of your outdoor living space.
- Find out your local codes and get information and permission before building the drain.
- Prepare some gravel, PVC Pipes, and landscaping fabric as the main materials for the French drains.
- Determine the spot to install the drain.
- Dig the slopes, and lay the materials.
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We’re sure that every homeowner wants to have a clean and neat backyard not only for display purposes but also to prevent it from becoming a disease source. Check your backyard and make sure that it’s free from being a nice place for stagnant water.