Drying up field ... does subsoiling really work?

[dirttoys]

Sounds to me like you need it professionally tiled with perforated plastic drainage pipe installed with a laser guided tile plow. Lots of outfits out there that do that. They will plot the field, determine the best collection point to drain to and install the plastic pipe.

This is correct, and no fun. Get your diversions built and if your not in a hurry, see how it goes, might dry up good when you don't have water running across it.

Unless you want to work the land for some other reason like getting it smooth enough for a riding mower, mess with it as little as possible.

Get a good pasture grass on it, and fertilize it in late summer if you can afford it. Next spring mark the wet spots, and plant a willow tree.

Best,

ed

 

[CalG]

Thought about this. Maybe i will i have to figure out how to prepare the ground first

Mow a strip real close with the yard mower. Down and back, four feet wide or so,

For 100 feet of sod, I would use the single chisel 3pt attachment I made up years ago , or the garden tiller or even a hand hoe and just do small spots enough to drop the seed. Radish really likes to grow!

 

[Sebculb]

You mentioned you have a hoe to work with. If that's the case I'd just dig a BIG ditch, like a landform changing sized ditch. I've made a few the width of a loader bucket. That's a change in the landform, not a little ditch you have to keep clean and maintain.

Run the municipal storm water culverts flow straight down the fall line into the creek. If you do it wide enough it'll get grown in with grass and keep erosion to a minimum.

You can do the same with the water from the ponds but perhaps you want your own pond on the high side of your property?

Big ditches will work. Drain tiles sound very expensive and subsoiling sounds like a messy pain in the butt that may not work.

 

[David Wayne]

You have a backhoe, if there is a place for an outlet run tile yourself and save some money. Its not rocket science, you dont need a laser unless the ground is pretty flat and you have very little fall. If the ground is wet the water will help you carry grade.

 

[boostmg]

You have a backhoe, if there is a place for an outlet run tile yourself and save some money. Its not rocket science, you dont need a laser unless the ground is pretty flat and you have very little fall. If the ground is wet the water will help you carry grade.

How deep does it have to go. How far apart and on a hill do you run them cross slope or with the slope? I’ve researched them but to me the only thing that would seem to be doable would be to lay them not that deep. Maybe 24” or so

 

[David Wayne]

24-30 is fine and downhill would be easy, but I dont know the lay of the field, how many wet areas or how big, and where the outlet would be in relation to the wet areas. If mutiple tiles are run they would be run parallel about 40'-60' apart and would be ran into a main that has an outlet.

 

[dirttoys]

How large is the field (sorry if I missed that info)?

I probably didn't say it strongly enough, I would do a lot of stuff before I put drain tile in a pasture. Not saying it might not be the final solution, but, anything you can hit and have to fix, or could plug up and need to be maintained, should come after normal grade and plant selection will clearly not solve the issue.

Best,

ed

 

[David Wayne]

I agree if grade can solve the problem. I am used to keeping fields farmable. Also would depend on what the OP plans for the area, for instance "trees" they would render tile usless in a few years.

David

 

[boostmg]

How large is the field (sorry if I missed that info)?

I probably didn't say it strongly enough, I would do a lot of stuff before I put drain tile in a pasture. Not saying it might not be the final solution, but, anything you can hit and have to fix, or could plug up and need to be maintained, should come after normal grade and plant selection will clearly not solve the issue.

Best,

ed

Yep i am in a game process of elimination . Once i know all the trenches and water sources are as good as they could be i have to monitor for further wet spots.

I have never thought of grading but probably should.

and i definitely want to plant trees

 

[David Wayne]

Well for sure no tile, tree roots will find it and plug it up tight.

David