Topic: FLOODING

[Fayzie]

Went down to my allotment today to pick some lettuce and peas to find that my whole site is flooded - rescued as much as I could and dug a couple of trenches to try and run most of the water off but need ideas of what to do in the long run cause if this weather does not change this is going to ruin everything!

I thought of maybe digging trenches around the lower side of the plot but I cannot afford the expense at this moment of putting wood around to stop it collapsing and I don't think my neighbours would be too happy if I ran the water off into theirs.  ;D

[Poppy Mole]

Don't think I'd worry about it long term - it's only a few years ago that we were all being urged to fill our gardens with drought resistant plants. Some years are very wet, others very dry but mostly it's a good balance.

[taurus]

Depends on what depth of water.  I had this problem on one of my 3 half plots as the site slopes slightly.  I put 9inch raised beds straight on top of the soil and this as solved the problem.  But to be fair Swindon so far as not suffered the water logging that as occured elseware.  Just have very sticky clay mud  ::) ::) 

[Ru1]

We have had the same trouble this year in Derby.

My other half has dug a trench to one side of the allotments, and made a large hole to act as a sump.

This has made a drastic difference, as the water now has somewhere to go, and the plants are no longer under inches of water.

The only thing that you will have to do is to find something to cover the sump hole over, to prevent anyone falling in.

Hope this helps

[Fayzie]

Thank everyone - managed to get hold of a couple of old pallets so have dug temporary sump holes and laid them over the top.  Luckily there is only ever me in that part of the plot as it is completely fenced off so if anyone falls in they should not be there in the first place!!

Hopefully this means in years to come if it is drier I can fill in the sump holes and continue as normal.

[Gordonmull]

And when your sumps overflow, what then?

Address drainage at a site level. It can't cost too much for everyone on site to club together and get a consultant from your local agricultural college to tell you what you need to do, for example. They might even do it cheap/free for a publicity stunt. College educated farmers will also be reasonably proficient at field drainage (you'd hope) so a local farmer might be able to help.

Get it done properly and you're laughing. Well, until we get a year worse than this...

[Fayzie]

Mines is the only site affected as mine is in the bottom corner!!

As it is a new site everyone is still getting sorted and there is no committee and the site is parish council run (in other words they do bugger all!!)

Also due to me being the youngest one on the site it seems all the older plot holders (especially men (sorry if this offends but its true)) are waiting for me to fail and give up, so I am determined to sort this out on my own and stick it to them!  ;D

Have worked for many years in the farming community myself so I think I should be able to with a bit of help from my sister get shucks dug

[Aden Roller]

Mines is the only site affected as mine is in the bottom corner!!

As it is a new site everyone is still getting sorted and there is no committee and the site is parish council run (in other words they do bugger all!!)

Also due to me being the youngest one on the site it seems all the older plot holders (especially men (sorry if this offends but its true)) are waiting for me to fail and give up, so I am determined to sort this out on my own and stick it to them!  ;D

Have worked for many years in the farming community myself so I think I should be able to with a bit of help from my sister get shucks dug

Best of luck Fayzie. You show them!!!!  ;)