Then before you know it, you are sat in your potting shed, pipe in one hand, cold mug of tea in the other, trying to remember who you ate and how you got there.
Good job, well done. I would probably stick another french drain along the wall where the lawn meets the brick wall. This would stop that wall soaking up water and staining. I would bring the gravel up to the surface, as you've done next to your sleepers, you can use decorative gravel on top.
Nice work man! I hope it sorts out your problem. One thing I was gonna mention was the lack of sunlight - I have been known to put mirrors on walls where it is shady to get another 10% of light when the Sun is on holiday. Not a permanent fixture but something like a couple of emergency foil blankets on the walls between Jan and April helps. Take care!
Great video. I have a new build with clay and it has very poor drainage. I will be installing a french drain. My garden is also sloping down at a steeper gradient than yours. Your videos have definitely helped. Just not sure where is best to get the Fescue bed mix seed?
Great job again with good explanations. I always like when you say you are not and expert. That being said you think out and execute very well. Hopefully by the middle of summer it will look like Wembly Lol. Really enjoyed this one.
Hope it improves the drainage for you. I thought you would have laid about 4 drains across the lawn from top towards the patio edge as you already have a french drain there to take the water.
Great video as always. I'm not sure the materials you have used are right though, for the fabric it should be non-woven geotextile - I think you've used regular weed control fabric which won't let much water through, and 10mm gravel is likely too small - general consensus seems to be 20-40mm and rounded if possible to create larger voids.
nice work, hopefully it solves the problem. remember when you put down your bent/fescue that they usually need different sowing depths, so if you have a "mix" you only need a light top dress or the bent might struggle to get through. if you have separate seeds you can do the fescue as normal then put the bent on top and gently rake in 👍
@@NoviceGardener your drop spreader will be fine. If it’s just bent setting 2 or 3. If it’s a mix it will blend with the other seeds so a fairly high setting as normal will work. Both seeds like warmth to germinate quickly.
You didn't put any fabric on top of the gravel before you backfilled? Absolutely critical with land drains to stop the soil washing through. Thanks for the channel and vids. Just done 260m2 of lawn renovation after watching an earlier video.
That’s a big job fingers crossed for you pal! Just out of interest have you tried any other methods for drainage apart from this method? I am suffering with a really boggy lawn and hoping to not have to go this far 😂. Keep up the hard work pal 👍🏻👍🏻
Looks a good un mate, can you tell me, the sand which you used, was it sharp-sand at all ? What top soil did you use plz as my own small grassed area is behaving as you said your was ?
This is the channel I never knew I needed ! I have the same problem with clay. Obviously I need to do This but my back garden lowest point is on the boundary with no SW drain. It’s not a massive garden but how do I deal with the water if it has nowhere to go like a drain ?
We have a similar garden plan and are needing to put drainage in like this. How would you recommend getting it from the top of the garden down the sleeper wall in to the drains at the front of the house? (Sleeper walls haven’t been installed yet)
I've got a big lawn, near an acre. It holds water badly even with over 30cm of top soil. It pools in certain areas. We have excavated down prior and it's mostly sand so think it's been compacted by diggers on it when we were building the house and putting the soil in. I was thinking of digging lots of vertical holes down to the sand layer and filling with stone to aft as a soak away where it pools. Thoughts?
That’s not a bad idea. I’ve seen that this does work on some lawns. As long as the water soaks into the ground, you’re fine. You’ll be best doing a percolation test before doing this just to check.
Thanks - we did a load of percolation tests before hand for siting the treatment plant and it was draining away too quickly, it just seems to be the top 30cm to 60cm layer that is compacted, but once we get under that it runs away quickly. Just need a decent earth auger!@@NoviceGardener
@@thewonderofgamesI have found that A1 lawns do a seed specially for clay soil which apparently has longer roots which I am going to try however it seems out of stock.
How/where do you dispose of the turf and soil? I've found my local recycling centre to be tricky when bringing large quantities of soil and facilities like Hippo Bag & other removal companies cost a fortune! Thanks
It's doing really well at the moment. Not been half as demanding as the full rye that it used to be! I've used much less feed than I have in the past. It just needs to get through the winter now.
Could you use sharp sand instead of pebbles? Got so much sand left over as I've been mixing it with clay soil to break it up and to fill aerated holes in the lawn
Out of curiosity, would you be able to comment on what type of pipe, topsoil and seed have you used for this? Hope your video will help me out with my issue
I forget to depth, but I know there's a good 6/7 inches before you hit any gravel. and then the depth is probably about another 10 inches or so after that (including the pipe, etc)
Hi all, I need to install some french draining in my garden, however the link it up to existing drainage would mean digging up the patio! …. Is there any benefit to installing a French drain without an outlet? Thanks
It’s best if you have somewhere for the water to go. Do a percolation test first though. If the water drains into the soil fairly quickly, you won’t need a drain.
Interesting, I'm about 2 weeks behind you doing much the same thing (as well as overall dropping lawn 4" in height). One thing I've learnt is its hard to understate just how much volume of material (clay) you end up removing and what you do with it! Do you think weed membrane is porous enough, some say its not?
I didn't I just ran it into the area where the other one is. You can go the whole hog and connect them, but that would only really matter if you had a ton of water flowing through. There'll never be enough to ever fill the pipe in my garden, hence just running it into that area. Will still do the same job (just less professional! 😅)
Did you need to hire a skip? I’m going to pay someone to install a similar drain, but skip hire is a large proportion of the cost. I have a wheelbarrow and plenty of ikea bags to carry it to the tip…. But not keen if there is tonnes! My lawn is a similar size to yours
I didn't, but only because I dumped it at the bottom of our grass verge at the front of the house 😅 But if we didn't have that, I'd have had to have a skip
How deep and wide did you dig the trenches? Same issue with a new build for me and even with a mattock I am struggling to dig much deeper than 25-30cm. Solid clay layer around 30cm under. Hopefully will be enough!
Just had a thought. I hope someone can put their two pence and we might have half an idea 😂. Or maybe it’s just I like the image of an army of little worms in yellow jackets and hard hats working with me. When you’re growing or composting worms are your friend as they aerate and break down etc. With that being said potentially by added worms would that not improve drainage by breaking down the clay. 🤔 random worm fact they can travel 73m per day. See where my idea is going? Hope someone can help
Aww no you didn't stick with the original plan with the French drain!! that plan seemed like its will work 100% am not to sure this new plan is going to cut it, really bad feeling its going to be the same even with fescue & bent mix, maybe slight improvement i hope im wrong... i wouldnt worry about not having enough water because you have so much clay there will always be moisture down there even if you put 10 french drain channels ,we will only know this time next year if this has helped... Anyway good to see some progress and gardening taking place for 2024 👍🏾
To be honest, I think it will be fine. It should mean that the lawn drains slowly next winter and it shouldn’t get back to the state that it’s been in this year. Just another 10 months or so to find out 😅
What was the french drain plan? All around the sides? I added land drains like this and agree it didn't stop the problem, just reduced it slightly in some places. Clay is basically waterproof 😢
You're NOT supposed to put dirt back over your rock. Just put the sod with attached dirt over the rock. Now your dirt is going to end up clogging your tubes.....
Great work! I was much younger, and the music is as cheesy as it gets, but I couldn't agree more on the value of a mattock: ua-cam.com/play/PL43F2DE113A2F302D.html&si=4gLdO1-iP-NDUsyk
Kudos mate that is a massive job. Really excited to see the results on the lawn in a few months.
Am i now old considering i like these gardening videos? 🤣 Ive somehow went from been young to watching gardening youtubes haha
Then before you know it, you are sat in your potting shed, pipe in one hand, cold mug of tea in the other, trying to remember who you ate and how you got there.
Good job, well done. I would probably stick another french drain along the wall where the lawn meets the brick wall. This would stop that wall soaking up water and staining. I would bring the gravel up to the surface, as you've done next to your sleepers, you can use decorative gravel on top.
This is a very good shout. I may do that as I’ve got loads of excess pipe! Nice one for the idea 👍🏻
Nice work man! I hope it sorts out your problem. One thing I was gonna mention was the lack of sunlight - I have been known to put mirrors on walls where it is shady to get another 10% of light when the Sun is on holiday. Not a permanent fixture but something like a couple of emergency foil blankets on the walls between Jan and April helps.
Take care!
I’ve never thought of doing that, but I guess it could be worth a go
@@NoviceGardener Give it a go. I've got an old bathroom mirror behind a greenhouse and those plants always do really well.
This is excellent mate - you’ve given me the confidence to do the same. Cheers !
Great video dude, I'm glad you did this video my lawn is the same, I might do mine the same way. Thanks
Hi there please have a look at the Barenbrug RPR. They spread by multiple stolons. It's amazing.
Bloody hard job. I set up underground sprinklers and it's back breaking work. I am sure this will help your drainage going forward.
Well done that top soil will give some good structure a great base .looking forward to see results with this project I have high hopes for you 😊😊😊
Well done for doing this it’s not an easy job. Fingers crossed it sorts the drainage problem for you
Great video. I have a new build with clay and it has very poor drainage. I will be installing a french drain. My garden is also sloping down at a steeper gradient than yours. Your videos have definitely helped.
Just not sure where is best to get the Fescue bed mix seed?
Like what you did there mate. I think it's going to work. Good luck
Love it , well done .. Currently doing my own garden as well but it's a lot of a bigger job, 1600m2 ..
That’s quite the task! Hope it goes well 👍🏻
Great job again with good explanations. I always like when you say you are not and expert. That being said you think out and execute very well. Hopefully by the middle of summer it will look like Wembly Lol. Really enjoyed this one.
Cheers! 👍🏻
Nicely done as always. Always impressed by your work rate, I get tired watching! 😂
Hope it improves the drainage for you. I thought you would have laid about 4 drains across the lawn from top towards the patio edge as you already have a french drain there to take the water.
Yes that's what I was thinking would work best
I did consider doing it, but thought it could be overkill.
Great video as always. I'm not sure the materials you have used are right though, for the fabric it should be non-woven geotextile - I think you've used regular weed control fabric which won't let much water through, and 10mm gravel is likely too small - general consensus seems to be 20-40mm and rounded if possible to create larger voids.
Great job mate,hope this drainage works for you
Simple, cheap and effective 👌 nice work once again
Fingers crossed for you. Logically what you’re doing makes sense.
Good job,it will pay off,come summer.
You could film that catch basin after rain! See if it’s flowing.
nice work, hopefully it solves the problem. remember when you put down your bent/fescue that they usually need different sowing depths, so if you have a "mix" you only need a light top dress or the bent might struggle to get through. if you have separate seeds you can do the fescue as normal then put the bent on top and gently rake in 👍
Cheers 👍🏻
I’ve heard it’s tricky to sow bent with it being tiny. Fingers crossed it goes to plan 🙏
@@NoviceGardener your drop spreader will be fine. If it’s just bent setting 2 or 3. If it’s a mix it will blend with the other seeds so a fairly high setting as normal will work. Both seeds like warmth to germinate quickly.
You didn't put any fabric on top of the gravel before you backfilled? Absolutely critical with land drains to stop the soil washing through. Thanks for the channel and vids. Just done 260m2 of lawn renovation after watching an earlier video.
The pipe and gravel was already wrapped. Those stones were just the excess on top.
Any suggestions of there’s no outlet for the water to run off?
You could dig a soak away. But you’d have to go pretty deep!
That’s a big job fingers crossed for you pal! Just out of interest have you tried any other methods for drainage apart from this method? I am suffering with a really boggy lawn and hoping to not have to go this far 😂. Keep up the hard work pal 👍🏻👍🏻
Aeration and the right kind of grass should sort most of the problem. I’d you aerate it, it should hopefully improve things 🤞
Great info I needed these tips thanks 🤙
Looks a good un mate, can you tell me, the sand which you used, was it sharp-sand at all ? What top soil did you use plz as my own small grassed area is behaving as you said your was ?
This is the channel I never knew I needed !
I have the same problem with clay.
Obviously I need to do This but my back garden lowest point is on the boundary with no SW drain.
It’s not a massive garden but how do I deal with the water if it has nowhere to go like a drain ?
You could dig a soak away. Massive task, but it would help drain the water somewhere. It will slowly soak away into the ground from there.
We have a similar garden plan and are needing to put drainage in like this. How would you recommend getting it from the top of the garden down the sleeper wall in to the drains at the front of the house? (Sleeper walls haven’t been installed yet)
I'd install them behind the sleeper wall once you've built it (or even prior too).
Is it connected into the main sewage drain??
I've got a big lawn, near an acre. It holds water badly even with over 30cm of top soil. It pools in certain areas.
We have excavated down prior and it's mostly sand so think it's been compacted by diggers on it when we were building the house and putting the soil in.
I was thinking of digging lots of vertical holes down to the sand layer and filling with stone to aft as a soak away where it pools. Thoughts?
That’s not a bad idea. I’ve seen that this does work on some lawns. As long as the water soaks into the ground, you’re fine. You’ll be best doing a percolation test before doing this just to check.
Thanks - we did a load of percolation tests before hand for siting the treatment plant and it was draining away too quickly, it just seems to be the top 30cm to 60cm layer that is compacted, but once we get under that it runs away quickly. Just need a decent earth auger!@@NoviceGardener
@billcarr434 that’s great news! Once you’ve put in the work to sort it, it should be great!
Wondering where are you planning to get the new seeds from? im in a similar position with a new build and also looking to move away from rye grass :)
I second this question. In the same situation but not quite sure which seeds to buy...
@@thewonderofgamesI have found that A1 lawns do a seed specially for clay soil which apparently has longer roots which I am going to try however it seems out of stock.
How/where do you dispose of the turf and soil? I've found my local recycling centre to be tricky when bringing large quantities of soil and facilities like Hippo Bag & other removal companies cost a fortune!
Thanks
I had to get a skip to get rid of it all (but I did get this to remove a lot of other stuff too - two birds, one stone
I'll be very curious to know how the bent is going on a shady and wet area. Bent is extremely high maintenance. A fescue rye mix would be ideal
It's doing really well at the moment. Not been half as demanding as the full rye that it used to be! I've used much less feed than I have in the past. It just needs to get through the winter now.
Fingers crossed it’s works chap 🤞
Can i connect some perforated pipe to my down pipe?
Could you use sharp sand instead of pebbles? Got so much sand left over as I've been mixing it with clay soil to break it up and to fill aerated holes in the lawn
The gravel is best as it just creates bigger voids that can hold more water.
Out of curiosity, would you be able to comment on what type of pipe, topsoil and seed have you used for this? Hope your video will help me out with my issue
80mm perforated pipe from B&Q, Westland top soil and bent/fescue seed
What seed did I say u were using?
How wide and deep dig you dig?
How much gravel did you put on top?
I forget to depth, but I know there's a good 6/7 inches before you hit any gravel. and then the depth is probably about another 10 inches or so after that (including the pipe, etc)
Hi all, I need to install some french draining in my garden, however the link it up to existing drainage would mean digging up the patio! …. Is there any benefit to installing a French drain without an outlet?
Thanks
It’s best if you have somewhere for the water to go. Do a percolation test first though. If the water drains into the soil fairly quickly, you won’t need a drain.
Interesting, I'm about 2 weeks behind you doing much the same thing (as well as overall dropping lawn 4" in height). One thing I've learnt is its hard to understate just how much volume of material (clay) you end up removing and what you do with it! Do you think weed membrane is porous enough, some say its not?
It’s unbelievable what comes up! The skip we got is almost full!
The fabric will be. Tested it before hand and the water passed through really easily.
Where do you connect the ends?
"I'm not draining Wembley" - NoviceGardener 😂😅
How deep did you dig your French drain?
How did you manage the junction between the sections of pipe? I'm looking for options to improve my drainage but this may be too big for me to diy
I didn't I just ran it into the area where the other one is. You can go the whole hog and connect them, but that would only really matter if you had a ton of water flowing through. There'll never be enough to ever fill the pipe in my garden, hence just running it into that area. Will still do the same job (just less professional! 😅)
Can you remind me again, where did you get the pipe? Thanks
B&Q, about £65ish. You get loads!
Did you need to hire a skip? I’m going to pay someone to install a similar drain, but skip hire is a large proportion of the cost. I have a wheelbarrow and plenty of ikea bags to carry it to the tip…. But not keen if there is tonnes! My lawn is a similar size to yours
I didn't, but only because I dumped it at the bottom of our grass verge at the front of the house 😅 But if we didn't have that, I'd have had to have a skip
Fantastic
Now that we are in December, how is it working out?
It's doing really well to be honest - much better than I thought it would! I still have a lawn and it's not boggy, so win win so far!
How did it work for you. My lawn is a nightmare clay garden. Did it help a lot?
It's working perfectly so far. The real test will be winter.
Where did you buy the perforated flexible pipe from mate?
B&Q 👍🏻
Where did you get the pipe from ?
Loving the vids mate
B&Q - he already replied to my comment about it 👍
@excalibur9768 thanks must of missed it
Where can I get like 10m of French drainage?
What to the drainage pipes are connected to ?
The drain on the right of the garden. It was put in by the housing developers
Looks 👍
I hope it works for you mate 👍🏻
Where did you get the pipe from?
B&Q
How is the drain getting on?
Perfect at the moment, but I guess I'll see more of how well it's working next winter 🤞🏻🙏
Fantastic! I have a similar garden with similar problems, so I’m using your videos as inspiration and instruction.
How deep and wide did you dig the trenches? Same issue with a new build for me and even with a mattock I am struggling to dig much deeper than 25-30cm. Solid clay layer around 30cm under. Hopefully will be enough!
40cm at the deepest, 30cm at the shallowest. Once I hit the solid clay, it was slow going!
Good effort! Yes what a workout. Hope it makes a difference. Looking forward to seeing the result
Bigger stones mate and geotech fabric but should be ok hopefully
Just had a thought. I hope someone can put their two pence and we might have half an idea 😂.
Or maybe it’s just I like the image of an army of little worms in yellow jackets and hard hats working with me.
When you’re growing or composting worms are your friend as they aerate and break down etc.
With that being said potentially by added worms would that not improve drainage by breaking down the clay. 🤔
random worm fact they can travel 73m per day. See where my idea is going? Hope someone can help
There’s method in the madness! Quite the image 🤣
20 quid! I could get a ton of Moon rock for 12p....etc.
🤣
Aww no you didn't stick with the original plan with the French drain!! that plan seemed like its will work 100% am not to sure this new plan is going to cut it, really bad feeling its going to be the same even with fescue & bent mix, maybe slight improvement i hope im wrong... i wouldnt worry about not having enough water because you have so much clay there will always be moisture down there even if you put 10 french drain channels ,we will only know this time next year if this has helped... Anyway good to see some progress and gardening taking place for 2024 👍🏾
To be honest, I think it will be fine. It should mean that the lawn drains slowly next winter and it shouldn’t get back to the state that it’s been in this year.
Just another 10 months or so to find out 😅
What was the french drain plan? All around the sides? I added land drains like this and agree it didn't stop the problem, just reduced it slightly in some places. Clay is basically waterproof 😢
larger stone makes it work a lot faster
You're NOT supposed to put dirt back over your rock. Just put the sod with attached dirt over the rock. Now your dirt is going to end up clogging your tubes.....
The pipe and gravel was already wrapped in the fabric before the additional layer of gravel was put down. Everything’s protected 👍🏻
Great work! I was much younger, and the music is as cheesy as it gets, but I couldn't agree more on the value of a mattock: ua-cam.com/play/PL43F2DE113A2F302D.html&si=4gLdO1-iP-NDUsyk
I don't have a drain or soak away to put the excess water to. Will this still work to stop the turf being so water logged?
You’d ideally need somewhere to direct the water too for it to really work