The allotment where I have recently moved is on the slope of a hill. The soil , which is heavy clay, hasn't been worked for a number of years, although was originally a farmer's field. Curiously, although the slope continues beyond and below our allotment site, three plots along the bottom most boundary are effectively waterlogged.
It seems unlikely that any of these three plots can be used to grow vegetables in a normal season, because the vegetation there suggests that the soil is very wet indeed.
My question is this: if the slope continues - indeed it gets even steeper beyond - why does water collect on those particular plots? About 30m beyond the hill ends in a road cutting, so there is nothing to impede the water.
Really odd!
Boggy land
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud
a change in soil type after the boundary? Or maybe some underground geology stopping a lot of the water? For exaple, if underground rock forms a dip that happens to coincide with the change in the slope, water could gather in the dip. The dip may not even be visible at soil level.
My grandparents had a similar problem, where an underground river ran through their garden, and made the soil bog land above it
My grandparents had a similar problem, where an underground river ran through their garden, and made the soil bog land above it
Once the game is over the king and the pawn go back in the same box. Anonymous
Exploring is like walking, where the walking decides where we're going. Bob the dinosaur from dinopaws
Exploring is like walking, where the walking decides where we're going. Bob the dinosaur from dinopaws
-
Pa Snip
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3091
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
- Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire
Hi Barry
A matter of intrigue which I doubt anyone sitting the other end of a connection will be able to give a definitive answer to.
I would suggest that as the ground is sloping there is a even larger build up of clay soil acting like a sponge where the three plots lay.
Sounds like one that could only be positively answered by an on site geologist.
As long as your plot is ok I wouldn't worry. Mercenary aren't I
A matter of intrigue which I doubt anyone sitting the other end of a connection will be able to give a definitive answer to.
I would suggest that as the ground is sloping there is a even larger build up of clay soil acting like a sponge where the three plots lay.
Sounds like one that could only be positively answered by an on site geologist.
As long as your plot is ok I wouldn't worry. Mercenary aren't I
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
-
peter
- KG Regular
- Posts: 5879
- Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:54 pm
- Location: Near Stansted airport
- Has thanked: 23 times
- Been thanked: 81 times
- Contact:
If the farmer was arable then the field would have been ploughed, maybe subsoiled to break the plough pan,. The worked soil and plough pan or any lower impervious layer of soil would combine in action so water would pass down through the worked soil and then downhill along the pan. When it reaches the boundary of the field which has not been worked it either cannot flow or slows down substantially.
Where I used to live the farm changed hands in the 70s and as well as taking out hedges, filling in ditches and ripping the buildings about, the new man filled in all the ponds that used to regulate the field drainage, mostly with poor soil or subsoil from building alteration on site and general farm rubbish. You can see where they were by soil colour or markedly poorer crop growth.
Where I used to live the farm changed hands in the 70s and as well as taking out hedges, filling in ditches and ripping the buildings about, the new man filled in all the ponds that used to regulate the field drainage, mostly with poor soil or subsoil from building alteration on site and general farm rubbish. You can see where they were by soil colour or markedly poorer crop growth.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
Hello Barry
Have you thought of digging several deepish test pits to see what is below the top soil layer. This might provide you with some clues or answers to the drainage problem.
John
Have you thought of digging several deepish test pits to see what is below the top soil layer. This might provide you with some clues or answers to the drainage problem.
John
Last edited by John on Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
-
Pa Snip
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3091
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
- Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire
I'll ask the question that's on my mind
Is it worth the effort if your plot isn't directly affected
Is it worth the effort if your plot isn't directly affected
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
-
Pa Snip
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3091
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
- Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire
Primrose.Can we have a train set running around it
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
-
oldherbaceous
- KG Regular
- Posts: 14435
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:52 pm
- Location: Beautiful Bedfordshire
- Has thanked: 713 times
- Been thanked: 712 times
Maybe the rain water is percolating through the soil and coming out of a fisher in the soil at that point.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
-
Shallot Man
- KG Regular
- Posts: 2668
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:51 am
- Location: Basildon. Essex
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 41 times
I go along with Pa Snip. Why bother.
-
Geoff
- KG Regular
- Posts: 5785
- Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
- Location: Forest of Bowland
- Been thanked: 319 times
I'm with Peter, either the land has been previously drained as far as the field boundary or possibly drains have collapsed or blocked near the boundary. Round here there are lot of what they call stone drains constructed many years ago, they are underground channels as you may guess built with stone sides and topped with flat ones and usually upturned turf. Over time they collapse and create wet areas. This summer I had a drain dug across my garden (it was a field, not surprising as the house is a barn I converted) through a patch that grows rushes and we found one of these which ran with water even in the dry part of the summer so hopefully we have diverted it into the field below us.
Other than that it can just be a change in the clay layers, there is often a blue/grey pretty impervious layer and if that comes nearer the surface it will create a wet area. At least you don't have to cope with over six feet of rainfall a year like I do!
Other than that it can just be a change in the clay layers, there is often a blue/grey pretty impervious layer and if that comes nearer the surface it will create a wet area. At least you don't have to cope with over six feet of rainfall a year like I do!
Thanks for all the thoughts and opinions; I wasn't expecting quite so much feedback.
I posted the question since three of our 29 plots are designated "bog". Although we are struggling to hold on to members at the moment - given we are a brand new allotment and many people who thought they wanted to have an allotment didn't really
- from experience I know this will change and, eventually, there will be a waiting list and we will have to tackle these three plots.
One of them will probably stay wild, since it contains a lot of local wild flowers etc and might be a good location for some bee hives.
I like the watercress idea. I love the stuff, but it is impossible to grow on dry land, hence land cress has to be grown.
But thanks for the input.
I posted the question since three of our 29 plots are designated "bog". Although we are struggling to hold on to members at the moment - given we are a brand new allotment and many people who thought they wanted to have an allotment didn't really
- from experience I know this will change and, eventually, there will be a waiting list and we will have to tackle these three plots.One of them will probably stay wild, since it contains a lot of local wild flowers etc and might be a good location for some bee hives.
I like the watercress idea. I love the stuff, but it is impossible to grow on dry land, hence land cress has to be grown.
But thanks for the input.
-
PLUMPUDDING
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3269
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
- Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks
- Been thanked: 1 time
Watercress grows well in moist soil but might be killed by frost if not submerged in water so might be worth a try in summer.
I sowed the free KG watercress seeds in the greenhouse border and it has made a three foot square bed which I harvest from regularly.
I just water it enough to stop the soil drying out but it isn't soggy.
I sowed the free KG watercress seeds in the greenhouse border and it has made a three foot square bed which I harvest from regularly.
I just water it enough to stop the soil drying out but it isn't soggy.