Topic: what we have to deal with on the site

[manicscousers]

[IMG]http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/1346/allotmentpicsbeforefencby6.th.jpg
this is what we found, the flood, when we went to the plot after not being there for a week, the other image is the new land we are taking over when the fence goes up next month, lots of work but we've fought long and hard to get it  :D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Where did the flood come from? Is it from a stream, groundwater rising up, runoff from somewhere? That's the first question you need to answer before you can work out a way of stopping it in future.

[manicscousers]

it's run off from the the property behind, plus the compost heap and the beds to the right are above the paths, the soil has a solid clay pan about 1 spades depth down,
steve has said he will try to get a mini digger from work for us so we can dig a soak away, nice to have friends with contacts  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Can you build up some sort of bank to divert it? Otherwise, I'd suggest putting a drain in, if there's anywhere to run it to. Problem with a soakaway is that it can just fill up and overflow.

[manicscousers]

if steve can get the digger, we're going to divert it around the backs of the sheds to the edge of the bowling green, then it's downhill  :)

[flytrapman]

Hi Manic
I got a plot of the council (Wigan)which was not being used as it was waterlogged. I built it up by putting around 25 lorry loads of horsemanure under the subsoil and used woodchip from the council to build up the paths. After a lot of work it is nearly finished.

[manicscousers]

unfortunately, we're both physically challenged and have to rely on what we did in the past, raise the beds, and other people bringing stuff up for us, we have no road,
we're trying to fight for a way in around the back of the rugby pitch, only available when the ground is dry !!, so, it's do as and when we can, still managed to get good harvests of most things this year  :) where abouts are you ?

[flytrapman]

Hi
Manic
Although my address comes under Warrington and I was on there waiting list for a lottie for 6 years without being offered any plots I ended up getting a plot of Wigan council in Leigh. It was not being used due to flooding. I also have 2 plots on a church site in Aspull.
Where are the plots in Golbourne.

[manicscousers]

http://www.parksidearlfc.co.uk/sports_and_community_club/
this is the site, at the back of the club, used to be 4 plots where the club is they were there for 35 years, where the club is now !! also our road was covered so we are land locked, so to speak.
how on earth do you manage three plots, amazing !!

[Conker]

Manic...I didn't realise you were so close to me!  I'm only in Hindley!

We've been on the Wigan waiting list for years.......

Bob x

[manicscousers]

well, that's a turn up for the books, we've also been on the hindley waiting list as we thought we were going to lose a plot altogether last year, only found out we could have the land we've got now last october.. :)

[flytrapman]

Hi Manic
Its been a struggle getting the plots into shape. It was like waiting for a bus, none about & then they all turn up @ once.
I used to spend a lot of time in Golbourne- Red Lion - Charles Napier - Reflections etc.
Hi Conker
I visited the sites and pestered to be allowed to take on a unused site. I am not sure but there may be vacant plots on the Aspull site, it is run by the local church

[manicscousers]

the red lion's just around the corner from us, you must have your hands full but I bet you get loads of good stuff    :)

[MrsKP]

manic, the back garden was a bit like that this morning, constant rain for days is what does it !! lol

i was digging over the mutual border trying to dig yet another root out, found another loads of bricks, and found water over those, and we're at the top of a hill too.

have covered the whole lot with polythene to see if i can't dry it out a bit to get a bit more out and put a layer of grit or something in to provide a bit of a soakway.

let's just say ... i'm aching ! ;D

[manicscousers]

wel, steve says we could do with trying to find out how deep a soakaway we need so I'd beter start another thread about that, all the land around drains on to that path !!

[cambourne7]

Hi manicscousers,

I dont envy you the task.

On one of the pictures though the one with the water in the path, it looks like there is a large white pipe is that the soakaway from the other plot?

It might be cracked?? either way i dont envy you  ;)

I have a great descriptive web site on french drains which might suit http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/frenchdrains.htm

A French drain is simply a small trench, dug to a gradient that will allow surface water, or the top of the ground, to drain away from a building or area that is prone to surface water build up and/or flooding.

Its all talking about protecting houses but I think what you need to do is dig a big hole ( as big and deep as you can manage ) and you have clay pipes that run down the plot that collect the additional water and draw it into the soakway.

The soakway needs to be filled with gravel, and needs to be somewhere that the sun can warm the gravel and dry the water. Plant roots can draw the water from the clay if it wants water.

I would not fill the french drain top with soil, i would leave it open to help evaporate the water and purge the water from the heavy clay.

While you have the digger this is something i would do to save on the digging and iwould look at building a small bank around the french drain... maybe at 2 sides to allow you to some flood protection to divert away from your plot.

The advantage of having a french drain is that you can use a plastic hose with lenths of wool run though it that you can poke into the french drain ( hold down with a brick ) and then you can wrap the wool around the roots of water sensitive plants which will draw moisture out of the drain out to the plant :-) The plastic hose stops the water evaporating before it gets to the plant.

cambourne7

 

[manicscousers]

the pipe's one we've now used to drain the path, still not enough, started another thread, someon'e given us a brilliant site about soakaways so I'll pass it on to the guys who are going to do the job  :)