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Waterlogged raised bed

mwaltermwalter Posts: 18
in Problem solving
Good morning all,  I built a woodblocx raised bed last year, which is completely waterlogged see pics.  I did not add drainage at the time and wondered if I should now add compost or gardening sand to the topsoil to help dry out the soggy mud?   Any ideas gratefully received.   Thanks Mark. 

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited February 2021
    What's underneath the bed? I can see you have plastic lining on the sides, which is good, but the base shouldn't be lined. If water can't drain out through the base it will always get waterlogged and no amount of sand, compost etc will help. If it's on something impermeable like concrete, you could drill some big-ish holes through the wood and lining, as near to the bottom as you can manage and all the way round, and see if that allows it to drain enough.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Sorry, but you must add drainage.  The easiest way would probably be to use a crowbar to smash holes in whatever is below them, about 12 inches apart over the whole area.  Other than that, you'd have to dig most of the soil out to provide the necessary.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • mwaltermwalter Posts: 18
    Thanks Jenny & Bob; I was hoping some miracle compost/sand would answer my prayers. 🪄 Jenny it has been lined on the bottom as well, it is placed on a grassy area which has lots of old rocks under the surface. 🥺😩.  I will add numerous drainage holes through the liner and if that doesn’t work efficiently enough I will drill some holes in the sides.   You know when you know, but you hope you don’t have to!   Thanks again.  👍 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    With soil underneath you shouldn't need to drill holes. The grass should be dead by now and rocks will probably help drainage (as long as it's not a solid sheet of bedrock), but it would be best if you can get the plastic out of the base. Lots of work though. Maybe go for spiking holes through to begin with, and gradually dig out smaller areas and remove the plastic from the bottom using a knife to cut out what you can get at.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, make as many piercings through the bottom membrane as you can for now and when you next do any major planting or moving of things, try and dig down and cut/tear out as much of the bottom section of liner as you can in the area you are working on. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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