How to Drain Poor Draining Soil

Soil quality plays a large role in the overall health of a plant.

Poor-draining soil makes it difficult to care for flowers or other plants because water doesn't pass through the soil very effectively. This means the water can sit on the surface of the dirt and not sink through to the roots of the plant or it can build up in the dirt and drown the roots because it doesn't vacate quickly enough. If you are using a stiffer or more difficult soil, you can drain it easier with some diligence.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Posthole digger
• Gravel
• Topsoil

Instructions

1. Disrupt the soil by digging the area up with a shovel to loosen up the tightly compacted area. Dig 12 to 15 inches deep, if possible, to break through the hardpan layer of soil that is preventing water drainage. Use a posthole digger if necessary to punch through the hardened layer.

2. Fill the hole partway with gravel, which is porous and will allow water to drain through it effectively. Since the gravel will sit past the hardpan layer of soil, it will act as a funnel to move water past it so it can drain.

3. Fill the rest of the hole with topsoil or compost and then add an additional 10 to 12 inches of topsoil on top of that. This raises the planting level of the soil, giving you a larger area of dirt you can plant in that drains effectively.

References

• Texas A&M: Identification of and Corrective Action for Poorly Drained Soils in the Landscape