Help drain water from garden bed


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Old 06-29-11, 05:04 PM
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Help drain water from garden bed

We have a concrete patio behind the house and a perennial bed outside of the patio. When it rains, the water runs off the patio into the bed and its constantly wet. When it rains hard, it washed the mulch out.

Most of the plants do not like such wet feet. I'm thinking about digging a narrow trench along the edge of the patio, dropping a length of corregated perforated pipe in it (with a sock or sleeve) then run some pipe perpendicular to the main one to take the water out into the yard.

Will this work? Should I put some stone under the perforated pipe and landscape fabric under the stone? How about stone on top of the perforated pipe?

I've not done anything like this before and I want to make sure all water off the patio gets drained out of the bed.

what do you all think?
 
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Old 06-29-11, 10:29 PM
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What we usualy do is dig the trench, lay in the pipe in a sock and drain the pipe into a small pit of drain rock then cover the pipe with rock. If your trench is deep enough you can cover the pipe with rock, filter paper, soil then sod.
 
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Old 07-01-11, 03:25 AM
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Sounds like you already have a good plan. However you do the stone over/under, as long as you get the perforated pipe in place, the right place, you can see where this is. Maybe a couple of individual fingers (if needed) of perforated pipe starting from a dead end and having them buried about 6" then running to a exit created under the bed wall or through the wall. Using a drill with a bore-bit the right size to run the pipe through. That may be a little extreme, but if needed its an idea.

Try to place something on the patio to divert the "running" water around and get the most of it from running directly into your bed. Something you could move when its not forecast to rain for a while.
 
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Old 07-01-11, 02:33 PM
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Your idea is a good one. Having some stone around and on top of the pipe will aid in getting the water to the pipe quickly. I would also put landscape fabric between the stone and soil so stop it from silting up over time. Though the pipe by itself may do just fine.

Actually, you can probably put a surface drain or more in that area to grab the run off and take it directly to a solid drain pipe and not worry about stone and fabric.
 
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Old 07-01-11, 03:34 PM
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Thanks for the tips you all.

Drooplug, I had thought about a surface drain (one of those long skinny ones) I see in my friends' yards but our patio has a wavy edge and I couldn't figure out a way to match that curve. I think I'll be okay with the stone, pipe, fabric, and some exit pipes into the yard. I would be nice not to have to dig but its only about 20 or 25 feet.

I was reading another forum and a poster said he took the sock off his perf pipe because is slowed down the water flow. I think I'll be okay without a sock as long as I use washed stone and the fabric.

Now for some digging in clay. Oh, boy!

Thanks again guys!
 
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Old 07-06-11, 11:58 AM
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I'm back. I have considered what drooplug suggested about a surface drain at the edge of the patio. I believe they are called (among other names) channel drains. I've love to go this route - less digging, no hauling stone, messing with fabric, etc. Easier all the way around.

The problem is that the patio is curved, so I'd need curved channel drains. The only ones I've seen online seem for non-residential applications so they seem over engineered and very expensive for what I need.

Does anyone know of residential grade channel drains? It is clear the local big box stores only carry straight ones, but I was hoping I could find some online. If these do exist, I can check out the prices.

Thanks!

Any help
 
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Old 07-06-11, 04:55 PM
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Channel drains are pricey. They offer 4" rounds and 12" square ones as well. The rounds will will fit in the end of the 4" pipe nicely. I know Lowes sells them. Check it out.
 
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Old 07-06-11, 07:50 PM
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Just checked out Lowes and, yeah, channel drains ARE pricey. I think I'll go with the perf pipe and stone. Thanks, though!
 
 

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