Flooding land

Whether you experience the odd wet patch or regularly have a soggy bottom, we'll be looking at a variety of fixes.

Standing water occurs for a number of reasons:

• Water cannot drain through the soil quick enough

• There is plastic or other material holding the water

• Sloping or low lying land

• The land is in or at the end of the flow of ground water.

Quick ways to help with flooding:

• Airate the soil with a fork or spiked shoes. Do not walk through flooded soil as the water makes the soil looser and you will sink or get stuck.

• Raised beds can elevate your growing areas but they do not deal with the cause of standing water.

• Add gravel, rubble or organic matter such as wood chips, soil etc. to raise the level of lower lying areas.

• Add willow or birch trees. These are happy in or near water and the roots will hold the soil.

• Rain collection - use guttering and a water butt or tank to collect the run off water. This will stop it covering the land and can be used in drier times.

Aggregates like gravel, rubble, sand and bark

chippings can be used to raise areas on land.

More intensive methods:

• Drain the surface by creating a slope to direct water. The water will need somewhere to go after it leaves that area.

• Shallow open channels (swales are deeper) can also direct limited surface water. These channels are usually lined with gravel or sand. These can also direct the water to a nearby drain if you have one.

• Deep open channels like a ditch can direct a much bigger volume of water. Check you are allowed as in an allotment they can be a safety hazard.

• A pond (lined) or soak away (unlined) will be a reasonably deep hole where the water can collect.

• If your structure's roof can support a living garden, the plants will help store some of this.

Gravel lined channel Water collection barrel or tank

Subsurface solutions

• A French drain is deeper and wider than a small open channel, completely filled with gravel. The land surface can then be put back over the top.

• Underground perforated pipes can be used. Similar to a French drain, the base needs to be gravel lined with gravel around the pipe. It will start off shallower with the end of the pipe dug slightly deeper to help water travel. Grates need to be attached to either end to keep soil out. Again, the water will need the go somewhere.

*Both French drains and underground piping (with pre-drilled holes on the bottom) can be straight, arced or for more intense flooding 'Y' shaped through the area.

Either rigid drainpipe or flexi piping for drainage

(don't forget to drill holes on the lower half).