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Drainage problem
ashish_dt
Posts: 3
hello friends,
i planted a tree two years back but it did not survive this year. I dug the tree out and noticed poor drainage. water just sits in the planting hole and doesn't drain for days. That I am sure was the reason my tree died.
Although my soil test report says my soil type is Sandy Loam, the planting hole has soil which looks like clay and is pretty hard. This is a new construction home so it could be construction debris. I reside in CENTRAL NJ. Picture of planting hole with water 
.
What are my options to fix that planting hole so it drains well and I can plant a different tree? Would adding soil amendments help?
0
Posts
No, nothing you need do re the soil, it's the bottom of the hole that needs sorting. I've used a iron bar in the past to drive holes through the base to ensure water drains. You may need to go quite deep. The only other thing you can do is use a tree that will stand those conditions and there aren't many. Even trees that thrive in wet conditions won't stand being waterlogged. I have used willows and alders in similar sites, on clay. Perhaps a combination of driving holes through and using a tolerant tree might work.
H-C
Thanks H-C. Will try the iron rod option. Am also thinking of including soil amendment like soul builder
Would that be the Fifth Amendment, after clay, sand, humus, and fertiliser? You can't claim it, there's no hiding, I'm afraid. No amount of improvement will counter a waterlogged site.
H-C
Another alternative is to plant above the soil. Dig the hole big, pound holes in the bottom as HC recommended, fill with gravel, then build a sort of raised bed around the hole, pop in the tree, and fill with a mix of the soil from the hole and soil from elsewhere (bagged compost, etc).
Something like so:
The young roots will mostly be up out of any pooling water, and the tree will then send the roots where they are happiest. Stick with something on a dwarf rooting stock, as the roots will never be very deep with such soggy soil, and wind would take down a more substantial tree. Or else grow something that loves a good amount of water, like a willow, etc. Just be sure it's planted well away from anything.
Last edited: 19 May 2017 17:46:59
Thanks for your inputs. They were very helpful in providing me with a direction
You mentioned construction debris ashish_dt and it being a newbuild property. Most likely what you are seeing is called hardpan. It's where the soil has been compressed so hard by the heavy machinery during building work (or farming) that it is impenetrable by water.
That's why HC rightly says to break this layer at the bottom of the hole.
Hire a jack hammer!