Wet Soil Problems

Will you explain the terms "well-drained soil" and "waterlogged soil"? A well-drained soil is one in which surplus water runs off quickly and which dries out readily after a rain or watering. A waterlogged soil is the opposite and contains too much water and little air.

Can a low, wet area be used for general gardening? Only if it can be drained.

What vegetables will stand a wet, soggy soil best? Beets seem to like wet sour spots, but carrots won't even come up in these spots. No vegetables will grow in soggy soil. If no other soil is available, raised beds made with 12-in. boards can be built and filled with a soil that drains well.

Our soil is in the shade and has too much moisture. What can we do for it? Improve the drainage by the installation of 3 or 4-in. agricultural tile, 12 to 15 ins. deep, with lines 12 to 15 ft. apart, and incorporate liberal amounts of organic matter. Only shade-tolerant plants will grow, no matter how you improve the soil.

What can be done to eliminated excess water at the foot of a terraced hill? The water always stands in the garden at the foot of the hill. Provide a shallow grass-covered or stone-paved ditch to carry off the excess water, or install a tile drain.

The earth in back of my home is wet and mossy. Is there anything I can do about fertilizing it for a garden? At present nothing will grow. Soil must be drained by use of agricultural tile. Apply 4-12-4 or 5-10-5 fertilizer at 4 lbs. per 100 sq. ft.

My garden is on a slope and the lower end is wet, with heavy soil. Is there any simple way to drain this ground and loosen the soil? Incorporate steam cinders and organic matter. If this does not rectify the situation, tile drain.

My garden plot is low and level, the soil moist and heavy in the spring. Will leaves and grass cuttings help, or should I use sand? Soil should be drained by use of tile. The addition of humus will help the soil but will not correct poor drainage. Unless you can afford to apply one third as much sand as the amount of soil you treat, sand may only make the soil less workable, e.g., a 2-in. layer to treat soil to a depth of 6 ins.

How much lime should be used to correct soil in wet condition? Lime is not a corrective for wet soils. Add lime only if the soil is too acid for crops to be grown. Improve drainage first.

A sewer pipe backed up last fall and overflowed in a small plot where vegetables were planted. What can I do to purify the ground? Dig it up, and leave in rough, open condition. In a very short time the ground will "purify" itself.

Will waste water from a sand-washing plant damage land where it settles? (Texas.) Sine sand-washing plants differ greatly in their practices, this is a difficult question to answer. Have the soil tested for acidity, nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, soluble salts, and organic matter. Consult your county agent.