That's great to hear gypsum worked well for you—I had mixed results myself. Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, but I didn't see a huge improvement even after about a year of applying it. Could've been the particular makeup of my soil, though.
I totally agree with you on the cover crops, though. I tried winter rye last season, and it made a noticeable difference. The soil stayed looser, and it was way easier to work with come springtime. Plus, it's oddly satisfying seeing that bright green growth when everything else is dull and gray.
The native grasses idea is spot-on too. I've got a patch near the back fence that's always soggy, and planting some deep-rooted prairie grasses there really helped stabilize things. Didn't completely solve the flooding issue (not sure anything ever fully will), but it definitely reduced standing water and erosion.
Honestly, managing clay soil in flood-prone areas feels like one of those never-ending projects... But it's pretty rewarding when you finally find something that clicks. Sounds like you're on the right track with what you're doing—nice job.
Your experience sounds pretty familiar to mine. Gypsum didn't do much for me either, even after multiple applications. I suspect soil chemistry plays a bigger role than we realize sometimes. Cover crops, though, were a game changer—especially clover. It improved drainage noticeably and was budget-friendly too. Glad to hear the native grasses helped your flooding issue somewhat... managing clay soil really is trial and error, but it feels great when something finally clicks. Keep at it, sounds like you're making solid progress.
I had similar issues with gypsum not really helping drainage at all. Ended up using deep-rooted plants like switchgrass and sedges around the perimeter—it made a noticeable difference in slowing runoff. Also, adding gravel-filled trenches along pathways helped redirect water away from the foundation. Definitely agree it's mostly trial and error... took me a few tries before something actually worked.
Interesting you mentioned gravel trenches... I've seen mixed results with those. Sometimes they clog up pretty fast, especially if there's heavy clay soil around. Ever thought about using French drains instead? I've had better luck with those in redirecting water long-term. But yeah, trial and error seems unavoidable when dealing with drainage issues...
"Sometimes they clog up pretty fast, especially if there's heavy clay soil around."
Yeah, learned that the hard way myself. French drains made a big difference around my old foundation—still had to clear 'em out occasionally, but nothing like the gravel trenches. Worth the switch imo.
