Grass is the ideal cover for drainfields. Grasses can be ornamental, mowed in a traditional lawn, or in an unmowed meadow. Or, you can try groundcovers and fems. The key to planting over the drainfield is to select shallow-rooted, low-maintenance, low-water-use plants.
Plant a vegetable garden on or near the drainfield. Put plastic sheets, bark, gravel or other fill over the drainfield. Reshape or fill the ground surface over the drainfield and reserve area. However, just adding topsoil is generally OK if it isn't more than a couple of inches.
No. Focused pressure for long periods of time could cause leach pipes to crack or break, even if the vehicle's weight does not exceed 10,000 pounds. Parking on top of leach fields should be avoided.
Although turf grass is the typical choice, a variety of other herbaceous perennials, annuals and groundcovers can be safely and effectively planted. Vegetable gardening over a leach field is not recommended.
Best Practices for Mowing Near a Septic System
We advise establishing a zone over and extending at least 10 feet around your drain field where you only plant grass and no heavy machinery rolls over it. This area should also be free of any trees or shrubs with extensive root systems.
Grass is the ideal cover for drainfields. Grasses can be ornamental, mowed in a traditional lawn, or in an unmowed meadow. Or, you can try groundcovers and fems. The key to planting over the drainfield is to select shallow-rooted, low-maintenance, low-water-use plants.
Typically, the drainfield consists of three to five trenches that are 18 to 24 inches deep, up to 100 ft long, with a perforated pipe in 12 to 18 inches deep gravel covered by 12 inches of soil.
You should never install the following over a drainfield:
Driveways. Pools. Patios. Tennis courts.
Tree roots are a septic system's worst nightmare. They surround the system for its water and damage the leach field and tank. Large roots have been known to crack septic tanks and make mincemeat out of drain fields. Plant trees away from the septic system to avoid root encroachment and damage.
DON'T plant anything over or near the drain field except grass. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs may clog and damage drain lines. DON'T dig in your drain field or build anything over it. DON'T cover the drain field with a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt.
How Long Does a Leach Field Last? A properly designed, installed and maintained field will need to be replaced once every 15 to 30 years. If the field is not designed and constructed adequately or receives poor maintenance, it may need to be replaced before the 15 years.
You might wonder if occasional driving or parking would be okay. Unfortunately, even infrequent use can harm your drainfield. Unlike driveways or streets that are built for vehicles, your drainfield isn't designed to handle any kind of traffic at all. It's always better to play it safe and keep vehicles off.
Not only is it not okay, but it could be the worst possible thing you could do aside from building your house directly on the drain field.
Animals should never be allowed to graze the drainfield during the wet season and should be removed before grazing results in bare soil. Gardens. Landscape fabric, plastic, bark, or mulch should not be used over your septic system.
So how do tree roots get in a septic drain field, to begin with? There are a few ways this can happen. One is obvious – you planted them there. The takeaway of this entire article should be this – you should never plant trees near or in leach fields.
Avoid patios, walkways, decks, and other heavy structures above the drain field. Don't plant trees or bushes within 10 feet of the leach field. Have a septic system inspection done every two to three years.
The best plants you can put on top of a septic drain or leach field are shallow-rooted herbaceous plants. These include perennials, bulbs, turf-grass, weeds, groundcovers, and more. A few examples are holly shrubs, boxwood shrubs, azalea shrubs, hollyhocks, wild violets, and spring bulbs.
The septic tank, drain field and reserve area should remain clear of sprinkler lines, decks, patios, storage sheds, sand boxes, swing sets, paved or dirt driveways, parking areas and walkways. Adequate access to the components of the septic system is also critical for maintenance and pumping.
While the large grassy area above your leach field may seem like the perfect place to build your garage, shed, or barn, building on or near your leach field is not recommended.
In short, the answer is no — the generally accepted advice is that you shouldn't be building a deck on your septic tank.
If you are over a tank, you run the risk of melting your way into a plastic tank, if you are over a field you are running the risk of clogging the gravel pack over a field line by sintering the dirt from the heat, or worse, melting your way into a header and blocking several field lines at once or melting into a leach ...
While the terms are often used interchangeably, a leach field typically refers to the specific area where effluent is discharged into the soil, whereas a drain field encompasses the entire system of pipes and distribution components involved in wastewater dispersal and treatment.
Herbaceous plants, such as annuals, perennials, bulbs and ornamental grasses are generally the best choices for use on a septic drain field. Ornamental grasses also offer the advantages of having a fibrous root system that holds soil in place, and providing year-round cover.
The roots of grass and other herbaceous plants can help remove excess moisture and nutrients and help the septic system work efficiently. Plants that do not require frequent dividing will limit digging and possible damage to the drainfield. Grass provides ideal year-round cover for drainfields.