The fabric helped for maybe a few months, but then things clogged up again.
That’s been my experience too—clay just finds a way. I haven’t tried rigid PVC yet, but I’ve heard mixed things about it in heavy clay. It seems like it’d last longer, but I wonder if it’s just shifting the problem somewhere else. Has anyone tried adding a dry well at the end of the line? I keep seeing those pop up as a “solution,” but I’m skeptical they’d work with our soil type.
Has anyone tried adding a dry well at the end of the line? I keep seeing those pop up as a “solution,” but I’m skeptical they’d work with our soil type.
We ran into the same issue—clay just doesn’t let water go. I actually put in a dry well last year, following one of those “easy DIY” guides. It filled up fast and then just sat there like a muddy soup. Not sure it’s worth the dig unless you’ve got better drainage downhill. Has anyone tried running the line out to a rain garden or swale instead? Wondering if that’d help break things up.
Tried the dry well thing too, and yeah, it was a bust for me. Our backyard is basically a clay bowl—water just sits there forever. I got all excited about those “easy” YouTube tutorials, dug a big hole, filled it with gravel and one of those plastic barrels... but after the first big rain, it turned into a mini pond that never drained. Kind of felt like I just made more work for myself.
I’ve been reading up on rain gardens and swales, and honestly, they sound promising if you’ve got the space. The idea of letting plants do some of the heavy lifting makes sense. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m tempted to dig a shallow trench and fill it with native grasses or something, just to see if it helps move water along instead of pooling up. Not sure if it’ll solve everything, but at least it might look nicer than another muddy pit. Anyone else have luck with that approach?
Rain gardens can actually work pretty well, especially if you’re dealing with clay soil that just refuses to drain. I’ve seen a few properties where folks put in swales with native plants, and it made a noticeable difference. The trick is making sure the trench has a gentle slope—otherwise, water just sits there like you said.
One thing I’d watch out for: if your yard is really flat, sometimes even a shallow swale won’t move water fast enough. You might need to play around with the layout or even bring in a bit of extra soil to help gravity do its thing. Native grasses are a solid choice since they can handle wet feet and don’t need much maintenance once they’re established.
Honestly, it’s not a magic fix, but it usually looks better than a gravel pit and helps with runoff over time. If you’ve got the space, it’s worth trying—just be ready for some trial and error. I wouldn’t bother with another dry well in clay, though... learned that lesson the hard way myself.
Native grasses are a solid choice since they can handle wet feet and don’t need much maintenance once they’re established. Honestly, it’s not a magic fix, but it usually looks better than a g...
I hear you on the dry well—tried that myself and it just turned into a muddy mess. Swales with native plants are definitely less hassle long-term. I’ve had luck using a cheap flexible drain pipe to direct pool water out to the street, but you gotta watch for local rules. Sometimes the simplest fix is just moving the water where it won’t pool up, even if it’s not fancy.
