A poor drainage system for your landscape can be more than just visually unappealing. It not only damages the grass and plants in your lawn but also can spread various diseases. In fact, standing water is the breeding ground for pests and mosquitoes. Thus, if you have any yard drainage issues, it’s worth consulting a professional and fixing it right away.

Throughout the year, your yard  is exposed to environmental extremities like rain, hail and snow that might hamper its drainage system. Here are a few tips to consider improving your yard’s drainage system.

Keep It Running Freely

While planting, never obstruct the run-off drainage paths. It is perfectly okay to beautify your lawn with planters and berms, but if it blocks your yard’s drainage, that can result in a flooded lawn. To keep it running freely, your lawn needs to have a gentle slope. Remember, even if you have advanced in-ground drainage systems, ground run-off plays a major role in improving your yard’s drainage. Make sure you check the design of your landscape, along with its natural ridges with a professional. If any landscape object or heavy vegetation is impeding the flow of water, remove these to ease the flow.  

Invest in Inlet Basin

Want to reduce the impact of standing water on your lawn? Then, consider the installation of an inlet basin to collect water rapidly and release it slowly. An inlet basin can be placed under the surface of your yard without disturbing its beauty. If there is frequent rain or storm in your vicinity, you can install several of these basins underneath your yard to collect large amounts of water. However, while installing, remember to place it on the upper part of your landscape to collect more water. Also, make sure to clear the blockages as if water does not find free space to flow, it will make way onto the ground.

Install Artificial Drainage System

If you have a poor landscape design or if the soil of your lawn does not permit good drainage, you can fight the problem of waterlogging by installing  an artificial drainage system. The artificial systems are designed to support the natural one that is not sufficient for proper drainage. Some of the common artificial drainage systems to consider are as follows:

• Simple Ditches
• French Ditches
• Piped Drainage

Harvest the Water

If your landscape lacks a proper drainage system, go for harvesting the runoff water. Install a storage well or a barrel in your landscape to catch the ground runoff water that can later be used in your lawn. Harvesting water is the best way to collect water for the dry season. However, while making the harvesting system, ensure that no debris or soil gets into it. Slits in a well reduce the water level. If you want, you can keep the ditches open or put a layer of gravel to hide the opening or beautify the garden.

Go Beyond Planting Beds

Ensure that the drainage system of your lawn extends beyond the planting beds. If the system ends at the edge of these beds, it won’t be able to hold water and cause topsoil erosion. In the long run, this can damage plants. If your yard consists of a separate drainage system, connect it with your home’s drainage system. In case the drainage is at the lower part, install a pipe that leads the water away from your lawn.

Before starting your lawn’s drainage project, it is important to talk to a professional for strategic planning. Drainage plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health and look of your lawn. Thus, while investing in other expensive landscape designs, do not forget to ensure a sound drainage system.