I havent found anything, the water is still there.
The area on opposite side is the same level its on the other side of the grass approx 7m away. I do have plans for that area, home office and kids trampoline, so I cant have it permanently boggy.
There is definitely some permeability, the grass drains albeit very slow and its soggy, but no standing water. The area where that hole is from the whirly post is prob 8m x 2.5 and no sitting water in the surface, but that hole is not draining.
The are in the first photos along the fence line is fine at the top of the garden for about 1/4 then the next 2/4 is that standing water and the last 1/4 is the existent patio.
The patio does get some standing water but that is because it is old and dipped in the middle but the water clears after heavy rain, takes an hour or so but it clears.
The section opposite, this is the middle of that section prob 2m either side of that not in the photo. Can see it’s soggy, and where the rain water has filled up the hole and remained for 48hrs
I was considering trying an Auger, can get these in 1m length, if the clay is that far down then it will be drainage needed, certainty wont be manual digging thats for sure to get past the clay.
I had a couple landscapers round to take a look, but no where to divert the water for drains. No point in a soakaway in clay, no ditch or watercourse to take this too. Only option is into the rainwater system but I'd need to ask for approval from the water company, but that's another topic of conversation.
They recommended getting someone in with a digger and clear out the whole border of clay, maybe about 3/4ft down back fill with fine gravel, hardcore, topsoil and organic matter. The issue I have is that if there is still clay below 3ft then I will still have the same problem. Am I right in this, or will the back filling be enough to help.
The surface water is still there that is in the photos and that's been nearly 1 week now!
I've had a spade, fork sunk into it with my wellies on trying the break it up and get under it, it makes a huge suction noise, bubbles and then nothing!
Forking isn't helping much if the holes just fill up with water - you'd be better off keeping off the grass as much as possible.
Maybe there is a pan that an auger could break through and allow drainage to improve, but you should ony be doing any excavating and digging in dry conditions - i.e. when you can crumble the soil in your hands. Everything you are doing on the soil now is making the problem worse. Have you heard of puddled clay? That is how they used to make ponds.
Digging out 3ft deep is a massive undertaking. Filling with free draining material, when the surrounding gardens and the underlying subsoil are poorly draining clay, may lead to the accidental creation of a pool!
Instead you could build up your levels with more free draining material. A slight upstand to the edge of the lawn e.g. a sleeper on it's side, and infill with 50:50 sharp sand/topsoil mix. Leave small gaps between the sleepers or whatever the edging is, to act as weepholes. That would bring your lawn level up and above the sodden ground.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Yeah I have been keeping of the grass as much as possible, only to go over with a fork while its dry now. Plan for grass was to scarify, aerator, topdressing and feed scattered over.
Regarding the border...
The digging out would be done by a digger not by hand. My worry is as you said if I create a pool.
I had read sharp sand is a no no with clay and to use grit, manure, topsoil to build up. I am again happy to try that buy the concern is do that and it just turns to a mud bath.
I have taken a water vac to remove the standing water, as thats been a week now, hopefully with no rain due it will get a chance to dry out, its just a pit of mush.
3/4 if the grass is drying out well, the side along the border is still not the best.
There must be something blocking the drainage in that area.
The patio collects water but only due to it being old and dipped but it drains with couple hrs, the border along the garage also drains quick which. everywhere else does drain eventually but that section just wont budge. Which leads me to think as it was pointed out with digger work and digging out before the rain came has a created a puddle clay.
I think digging it out once its dried up and playing about with water and gravel to see what is happening at the base layer is going to be a starter
I know it was said to dig in dry conditions, (technically its a dry day) but I wanted to see what was under if I removed the top layer of sludge after taking the water out, I removed about 40cm deep and about 1m wide just to test, to my surprise or maybe not it was pretty dry under the sludge layer. A lot more crumbly.
No rain due in the 5 day forecast anyway
I'll leave this to dry out over next few days, dig down some more, then is it worth putting some fine gravel down, some hardcore and then fill with some water to test the area before digging out the rest?
Posts
The area on opposite side is the same level its on the other side of the grass approx 7m away. I do have plans for that area, home office and kids trampoline, so I cant have it permanently boggy.
There is definitely some permeability, the grass drains albeit very slow and its soggy, but no standing water. The area where that hole is from the whirly post is prob 8m x 2.5 and no sitting water in the surface, but that hole is not draining.
The are in the first photos along the fence line is fine at the top of the garden for about 1/4 then the next 2/4 is that standing water and the last 1/4 is the existent patio.
The patio does get some standing water but that is because it is old and dipped in the middle but the water clears after heavy rain, takes an hour or so but it clears.
thats photos form front to back of the garden along the fence line.
this has been forked over twice now to try get some air into it
They recommended getting someone in with a digger and clear out the whole border of clay, maybe about 3/4ft down back fill with fine gravel, hardcore, topsoil and organic matter. The issue I have is that if there is still clay below 3ft then I will still have the same problem. Am I right in this, or will the back filling be enough to help.
The surface water is still there that is in the photos and that's been nearly 1 week now!
I've had a spade, fork sunk into it with my wellies on trying the break it up and get under it, it makes a huge suction noise, bubbles and then nothing!
I am at a total loss as to what is best to do.
Maybe there is a pan that an auger could break through and allow drainage to improve, but you should ony be doing any excavating and digging in dry conditions - i.e. when you can crumble the soil in your hands. Everything you are doing on the soil now is making the problem worse. Have you heard of puddled clay? That is how they used to make ponds.
Digging out 3ft deep is a massive undertaking. Filling with free draining material, when the surrounding gardens and the underlying subsoil are poorly draining clay, may lead to the accidental creation of a pool!
Instead you could build up your levels with more free draining material. A slight upstand to the edge of the lawn e.g. a sleeper on it's side, and infill with 50:50 sharp sand/topsoil mix. Leave small gaps between the sleepers or whatever the edging is, to act as weepholes. That would bring your lawn level up and above the sodden ground.
Yeah I have been keeping of the grass as much as possible, only to go over with a fork while its dry now. Plan for grass was to scarify, aerator, topdressing and feed scattered over.
Regarding the border...
The digging out would be done by a digger not by hand. My worry is as you said if I create a pool.
I had read sharp sand is a no no with clay and to use grit, manure, topsoil to build up. I am again happy to try that buy the concern is do that and it just turns to a mud bath.
Catch 22 really.
3/4 if the grass is drying out well, the side along the border is still not the best.
There must be something blocking the drainage in that area.
The patio collects water but only due to it being old and dipped but it drains with couple hrs, the border along the garage also drains quick which. everywhere else does drain eventually but that section just wont budge. Which leads me to think as it was pointed out with digger work and digging out before the rain came has a created a puddle clay.
I think digging it out once its dried up and playing about with water and gravel to see what is happening at the base layer is going to be a starter
No rain due in the 5 day forecast anyway
I'll leave this to dry out over next few days, dig down some more, then is it worth putting some fine gravel down, some hardcore and then fill with some water to test the area before digging out the rest?