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Dug Out Holes Holding Water

B

Blaze20

New member
Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has ever had an issue with overwatering or having their holes not drain well. I have quite a few plants in the ground and seem to have a few which are showing signs of overwatering, which I believe is do to the native dirt being clay and has now hardened up to the point that my holes are now working like a bowl that doesn't drain well or at all. Most of the plants are only exhibiting issues on the main stalk towards the tops while all the lateral growth seems unaffected. Just curious if anyone has had such issues and if things turned out alright or just got worse.
 
E

Easy7

Active member
Veteran
Common issue.

Plant on a slope. Dig deeper holes. Use gypsum or leftover dry wall and work that in the area a season before.
 
C

CrushnYuba

Well-known member
Everyone i know that has done holes have dealt with this. Holes almost always don't drain. We have clay. The water doesn't drain and root rot is expected. Thats why 95% of new septics being dug here are engineered systems. Regular standard septics don't drain.
Holes here are just so hard to not over water. All you can do at this point is cut watering back. I would give them small amounts of water more frequently so it doesn't run down to the bottom. Have to be careful not to give them more them they are drinking. The only way to tell how much they are drinking is by starting low and watching for early signs of under watering and working your way up.
Everyone i know that have done holes have dealt with this. Next year put your soil on top of the clay in a mound, bed or smart pot.
 
troutman

troutman

Seed Whore
Maybe did a small hole beside your plants that goes deeper than their roots.
This way the excess water will pool there and drain away from your plants.
A small soil auger would be nice for this.
 
T

Teddybrae

If your ground has too much clay you're stuck with a big problem.



if there is some drainage Calcium Sulphate also called Gypsum will improve drainage even when yr plants are quite advanced. they might turn yellowish for a day or so but the Gypsum won't hurt.


next time maybe make raised beds. I 've grown plants in six inches of soil over pure clay.


cheers!
 
MJPassion

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I like the auger idea & if you can get to a drainage layer below the clay you may be OK digging into that layer and adding perlite to the augered drainage hole(s).
 
B

Blaze20

New member
I appreciate the responses everyone. This was my first outdoor run and I thought I was doing the right thing but digging holes but next year I'll certainly do some sort of raised beds or just containers. I may look into the auger idea as well. I'm just wondering if it's to late and root rot has already set in. They haven't got any better or worse during the last week but we just got hit with heavy rain so we'll see.
 
Pédetoddy

Pédetoddy

Well-known member
picture.php

Soil of my guerrilla, i want mix some manure.
 
troutman

troutman

Seed Whore
^^^ Your soil is too sticky from the looks of things.

You can add some grass and leaves to loosen it up a little as well.
 
S

St. Phatty

Active member
Blaze20 said:
Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has ever had an issue with overwatering or having their holes not drain well. I have quite a few plants in the ground and seem to have a few which are showing signs of overwatering, which I believe is do to the native dirt being clay and has now hardened up to the point that my holes are now working like a bowl that doesn't drain well or at all.
Click to expand...

That groundwater near the surface can be a Godsend, if you're starting plants whose seedlings need low temperatures - in the middle of the summer.

Evaporating water is about the only way to keep those seedlings cool.
 
Lost in a SOG

Lost in a SOG

GrassSnakeGenetics
Wetting agents and penetrants like yucca extract can help eat lots of tiny channels through solid clay soils and prevent it drying into a solid bowl underground.. Its the effect of the saponins on soil chemistry.. Since its very safe you could try adding a high conc to your next waterings and just see if it helps.. Ive used it on clay soils before that have formed a solid crust water runs off but with yucca it just magically falls straight through..
 
S

slapmehard

Member
you really should mix the bottom 10% of the holes 50 - 50 your mix and the native soil.
for clay you can add gypsum to that layer but no matter it is a pain when it hardens then rains.
 
C

CrushnYuba

Well-known member
Slapmehard has got it.

That gypsum might make it a little better but not noticably.

I do mounds on top of the clay. Big piles. It doesnt just go straight potting soil to clay. There is a layer of mixed clay and soil. The best thing to do is till the clay up and mix some stuff in. Pine bark fines, straw,. Whatever is cheapest to make it not clump back up when it gets wet.

Bails of Alfalfa are pretty cheap, they compost fast though. Will add nitrogin.
You have to do it when the clay is dry. It turns to dust. I use heavy machinery. I don't know how easy that is to do by hand or Roto tiller.
 
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B

Blaze20

New member
I have several holes that I dug out and put some root organics into and they to seem to end up with the issue as well. I do still have some smaller one's that got put in later that haven't done it but I wonder if it's just a matter of time until they do the same. Like said I'll certainly do thing different next year seeing as this was my first outdoor go and I obviously messed up lol.


CrushnYuba - How tall do you go on the mounds? So basically your saying to till the field and then throw some straw etc into there and then do a mound of soil over the top of it?
 
Noonin NorCal

Noonin NorCal

Active member
Veteran
Roots organic soil is really light and airy. I like it for potting soil, my smaller plants before going into final containers
 
C

CrushnYuba

Well-known member
Yep. About 18" of potting soil on top of the clay. You don't have to till the clay underneath but it helps. It Will Drain fine without it probably but having the ability for your roots to tap into the clay helps. Till wider then the mound. Being on a slight slope helps.
Pine bark fines or some other type of cheap wood soil filler or straw. I also put bailed alfalfa into it. The alfalfa breaks down fast and will help to break down the straw a little.
 
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