I actually tried the corrugated pipe trick last summer when I couldn’t get a trench to hold up—clay soil, just like you mentioned. It worked pretty well, but I had to be careful about where I laid it so it didn’t dump water right at my neighbor’s driveway. It’s not pretty, but for what it costs, I’ll take functional over fancy. Just wish there was a way to make the setup less of an eyesore... maybe I’ll throw a tarp over it next time.
Honestly, I get wanting to cover it up, but tarps can get messy or blow around unless you really anchor them. I actually tried spray painting my corrugated pipe a dark brown to blend in with the mulch—sounds goofy, but it worked better than I expected. If you’ve got some leftover landscape fabric, you can tuck that over the pipe and pin it down with garden staples. Not invisible, but way less of an eyesore than a bright blue tarp flapping around. Just my two cents from too many backyard projects...
I hear you on the tarp situation—those things are a pain unless you’re willing to stake them down every few feet. I tried something similar with landscape fabric last summer after getting tired of looking at that ugly black pipe snaking through my flower beds. Ended up using some old burlap sacks, actually. Cut them open and wrapped them around the pipe, then tucked the edges under mulch. Not totally invisible, but it blended in way better than anything plastic.
One thing I learned the hard way: if you’re draining a pool, even slowly, that water finds every low spot and can turn your yard into a swamp for days. I ended up rigging a temporary French drain with gravel-filled trenches leading away from the house. It wasn’t pretty, but it kept my tomatoes from drowning... Sometimes function just has to win over looks for a bit.
That burlap idea is actually pretty clever—never thought to use sacks for camouflaging pipes. I totally get what you mean about water finding every low spot. It’s wild how even a slow trickle can turn a flat yard into a marsh.
If you’re looking to drain your pool without a swampy mess, here’s what worked for me last year:
1. Map out where the water *should* go, ideally toward a storm drain or a part of the yard that can handle some extra moisture (not near the house foundation or veggie beds).
2. Lay out a sloped path with a hose or temporary PVC pipe. I used some leftover gutter extensions—worked in a pinch.
3. If you’re worried about erosion or pooling, dig a shallow trench along the path and fill it with gravel. It doesn’t have to be deep—just enough to guide the flow.
4. For extra eco points, try directing the water to a rain garden or an area with thirsty shrubs. Just avoid anything that hates wet feet.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s not always pretty, but a little planning up front saves a lot of muddy headaches. And hey, if you find a way to make a temporary drain look good, let us know... I’m still working on that part.“Sometimes function just has to win over looks for a bit.”
That’s a solid plan—love the tip about using leftover gutter extensions. I’ve tried the gravel trench trick, and it really does help keep things from getting boggy. Totally agree with this:
It’s not glamorous, but you’ll thank yourself when your shoes aren’t sinking into mud for weeks. If you ever figure out how to make a temporary drain look less like a construction zone, I’m all ears... I usually just throw some mulch over it and call it good enough.“Sometimes function just has to win over looks for a bit.”
