If your lawn seems to always hold water, then there's a yard drainage issue at play. This can be related to the way your property is graded and how water flows, where your gutters are directing water, or even what's going on at a neighbor's property (potentially sending excess water into your yard).
Use a shallow, gravel-filled trench to catch and slow runoff, especially at the base of a slope or alongside a driveway or patio. For slopes, consider creating a dry creek to catch, slow down and direct runoff, perhaps to a rain garden (see below).
It is difficult to prevent, but there are some things that can be done to protect your basement, such as a sump pump, French drains, and making sure the slope of the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation.
Sand drains water very well, while clay does not. However, that does not mean that adding sand will help your lawn drainage.
Add a layer of mulch, such as straw, leaves, wood chips and/or compost to the soil surface to hold moisture in the soil.
Standing water is usually caused by two common problems: poorly draining soil and low spots in the yard. Lawn thatch, the layer of thick dead leaves, roots, and stems between soil and grass, is another culprit. Heavy foot traffic can also compact soil, leading to poor drainage.
Longer blades of grass will help to shade and insulate the roots and soil. And, the more biomass above ground, the larger the root system which helps the grass absorb and hold the water.
Overwatering your lawn suffocates your grass and also stunts root growth. Below the surface of the turf, your soil is made up of soil particles surrounded by pockets of air and water. These pockets of air and water provide the roots of your lawn with the oxygen and H2O needed for healthy growth.
A French drain can be installed by digging a trench and adding a PVC pipe surrounded by gravel. The pipe then connects to a water drain that is beyond your yard. Since this diverts the water off of your lawn, this is a popular choice for homeowners.
Retaining walls are among the most effective types of drainage when you're making slopes. Rather than holding water back, retaining walls encourage drainage by creating large gaps that water can flow straight through to continue down through your landscaping. Retaining walls also serve as natural vertical drains.
So, using gravel will ensure better drainage. Sand retains more water and causes root rot in plants. When mixing sand and gravel, you should use small amounts of both to make the correct soil drainage ratio.
Materials that absorb water include; a sponge, napkin, paper towel, face cloth, sock, paper, and cotton balls.
One way to ensure that water drains away from your home is by landscaping in a strategic manner. By utilizing rocks for drainage, you can keep water away from your foundation and your home.
– Use Plants To Absorb The Water
One of the best ways to fix waterlogged spots is to use grass turf, sod, and grass seeds. Adding these is even better when you have just amended your topsoil with a fresh cover of new topsoil with good draining properties.
You might think that watering a little bit every day is a smart approach, but you'd be wrong. It's better to water “deeply and infrequently,” Cutler says. About a third of an inch every two to three days is a good goal.
Water in the early morning – between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Midday watering leads to wasteful evaporation, while nighttime watering causes droplets to cling to grass overnight, increasing the chance of lawn diseases.
If your water issues only occur after a heavy rainfall, your yard is most likely properly graded. There may still be a slight issue with the soil, but seeing pooling water right after a storm is very normal and is not cause for immediate worry.
For this reason, some people prefer to mow at 3 or 3.5 inches. For the healthiest and most sustainable approach, Michigan State University Extension says 3.5 to 4 inches is most desirable. Lawns mowed at 3.5 or 4 inches out-compete weeds, tolerate grubs and look just as good as lawns mowed at 2.5 inches.
Cut your lawn to possibly the shortest height you have all season. The ideal height is around 2 1/2 inches. Cut it too low and the grass might not be long enough to photosynthesize and provide nutrients to the roots. Too high and the frost might become matted after a snowfall.