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| I posted on the Georgia Gardener forum, but think you guys can offer great advice. In October covered what I wanted as veggie garden with cardboard then lots of composting leaves and a bunch of horse manure. We've had lots of rain and this is the lowest spot on my property.
Dug a hole four days ago to plant a miscanthus I want to transplant. Large hole filled up almost immediately with water and is still full. I could rant a bunch more but maybe this explains well enough. Full sun area. In the summer it was dry dry dry. I can move the leaf mold and manure - not as all easily, but could. Your ideas much much appreciated. Rosie, Sugar Hill, GA (north Atlanta suburb)
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| How large is the area for your veg garden? If it's of manageable size and you have enough material (leaves, manure and whatever else you have or can get), you can try to create raised planting areas. And perhaps for between those areas, lay down thick layers of straw or similar to walk on. I'll be interested in what the real experts here have for you as advice. We have about 1/3 acre deer-fenced in, and there's a very high water table or something in large parts of it. I was out there after last week's very heavy rain and could literally hear water moving under the ground. The same parts in winter I've heard ice crackling down there as I walk. Part of it in wet years has been muck all spring through fall. |
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| The source of this water then is being put down to I suppose...rain....and the fact that you have added a measure of organic matter which is supposed to entrap moisture for the good of the soil. I suppose one could say its done its job...rather well. So if there is now a water problem one could think that maybe we could reduce the organic side of the soil and add some good ole fashion topsoil/clay/sand/peat moss....to make the area less susceptibe to holding on to so much moisture. The balance though might be tricky - you don't want to ruin a good thing and end up back where you were. |
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- Posted by rosiew 7 GA (rosemarywalsh@bellsouth.net) on Sun, Mar 20, 11 at 15:18
| Thanks, y'all. Goren, how can I improve drainage? The garden area is on the property line, adjacent to a 6' fence, then drains under the fence into a culvert my neighbor dug which runs to the street. Garden irregular size, but sorta 7' x 30'. Lynxe, think your problem surpasses mine. What can you plant if it stays mucky? BTW, my soil is Georgia red clay. Risue |
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| What is the amount of organic matter in your soil? In sandy soils large quantities of organic matter will aid in holding moiture, and nutrients, in that soil while in clay soils large amounts of organic matter will seperate the clay particles so excess water will flow through. However, it can take a few years for this affect to start working, ie. adding organic matter to clay soils last fall does not mean your soil will be a good, healthy soil this spring. Since clay soils, without adequate levels of organic matter, can trap and hold water it can take a fairly long time before that soil is workable. |
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