Well, we certainly have had our share of flooding. While you can’t stop the rain from falling, you can take measures to reduce the impact of flooding and water damage to your lawn, soil, plants and trees.
Grass, Soil and Mulch
Soil composition and grass type can both play a big part in how well a lawn will handle flooding. An ideal soil type crumbles easily and allows water to drain adequately; however, it should also not be so light that it washes away during heavy rain. Sand and other loosely-packed soil varieties are likely to experience the most severe water damage (and can even be washed away completely), while clay and other very dense soil types that don’t allow for much drainage will result in a lot of standing water that doesn’t easily subside during the flood cleanup process.
Adding mulch or a compost mixture can help improve soil composition and drainage, but make sure if you’re using mulch specifically for your garden or flowerbeds that you use a heavier hardwood mulch or one made of manmade materials. Light mulch chips, such as pine, tend to get washed away very easily which will make flood cleanup a hassle, plus it can clog drains.
Plant Life
A good way to naturally avert water damage is to plant specific varieties of trees, shrubs and plants in certain areas of your yard. Plants with a high water tolerance should be planted in areas that don’t drain well since their roots can handle being submerged. Shallow root plants that are more susceptible to water damage should be planted in higher elevated areas of a yard or in raised flower beds. Another good rule of thumb is to choose native varieties of flowers, plants and shrubs for your yard, as they usually will require very little watering between rainfall and can withstand water damage if flooding occurs.
If the lay of the land isn't conducive to draining excess water, there are ways you can create natural features that will aid in proper drainage and decrease the likelihood of standing water.
We, at TPS Landscaping, can proactively implement the above tips to prevent the ill effects of flooding.