I would like instructions for building a dry stream bed;. A deodar tree root system must be considered.?

Question

the bed will be planted with Calif. natives and Mediterranean plants;I visualize two streams converging into a dry"pond. The streams will be approximately 20-to-30 ft. long and the pond area is roughly 10' in diameter. Existing tree roots will impede digging very deeply.

Answer 1

You can rent a roto-tiller to chew through the roots, and you probably should, because to make it look like a stream bed, and not a path, you'll want a little depth. Without a roto tiller, to dig at all you may be spending several weeks with a shovel in one hand and an axe in the other.

Once you've got the general shape in, you'll probably want to lay plastic, or weed tarp, and put the rocks down. Some police department warn that river rocks are large enough to break windows, so you might also consider mixing up some cement grout to hold them in place.

If you're going ghetto style, you can pour the grout down dry, and slowly pour water over it, but this can mess up the stream bottoms if the grout moves.

The professional way to do it is to slop the grout down as you add each stone. You'll want to carry around something to smooth it with, and a damp cloth to wipe up any splatters on the finished product.

Like with all cement, you should let it stay moist for a while. The longer it stays damp, the harder it will set. A plastic tarp on top can hold the moisture in, and a little spraying down each day will work well. A week or so should be plenty long enough.

I can't say that I'm a big fan of dry river beds, but it's your house, and if that's what you like, then have at it. Only know that with a little extra work, you could easily design a drain on one side, and a pump to make it run water. Just lay pipe from the lake to the "top" of the rivers, put a little box with a removable grate in the lake, and most pumps will run you less than $100 at the hardware or garden store.

That'd take a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good, but the outlet at the top of the river isn't very big, and the drain can be covered up by "driftwood" or something else if you get lazy and want to leave it dry.

Answer 2

Watch channel 46 or 48 which ever one works out.