Update: I figured out why my garden kept flooding after 3 dry summers in a row

I used to just let water run off wherever it wanted, but after that big storm last May in Edmonton, my whole vegetable patch turned into a swamp for two days. Turns out I needed to dig a simple 2-foot trench along the low side and route it to a dry well I made from an old barrel. Has anyone else tried those rain garden kits from the local hardware store or is it better to just wing it with your own design?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

rileygonzalez5mo ago

Have you thought about using a perforated pipe inside that rock trench to move water faster? I did something similar in my yard, but I lined the trench with landscape fabric first to keep the silt from clogging everything up. That barrel dry well trick works way better than a standard french drain in my experience, especially in heavy clay soil.

6

ben4845mo ago

Just dig a hole and throw some rocks in it like a normal person, those kits are just overpriced gravel with a fancy instruction manual.

1