will a rotavator help the drainage in my back garden?

Answer 1

Surface drainage, yes, but the action of the rotovator tends to compact the lower strata of the soil, which can just make the problem worse.

Answer 2

To provide advice on a viable solution, more information is needed - type of soil, subsoils and underlying composition; lie of the land (ie slope and elevation in relation to surrounding areas); depth from surface of water table (local water supply company should know this).
In general, the remedy is land drainage - that is installing a herringbone pattern of land drains at 18-24 inches below surface level (this will avoid interference by rotovating). However, land drains have to be drained TO somewhere, a nearby water course, ditch or a soakaway.
You should be able to get free advice from your water supply company, the National Rivers Authority or your local council.
Do remember that the present climate is of high precipitation and more than ever people are conscious of their ground becoming boggy or flooding - and this wetter climate is set to stay and increase.
Don't waste your time merely rotovating because it is doubtful this will have any lasting effect. High water table? Clay soil or clay layer below soils? Low-lying land? All these will need the land drainage option. Get the proper advice first - then if you wish you can put in the land drains yourself, not difficult, just needs some very hard work!

Answer 3

Possibly but the best solution is to dig some drainage channels. Dig out about a foot wide and 18 inches deep. Line it with bigger pebbles at the bottom and smaller pebbles on top to a layer of about 3 inches and fill it back in. this should let the water drain away in whatever direction you have dug the channel. Of course the trick is to drain it down hill and you will then give the same problem to your neighbour!

Answer 4

Not really. A rotovator is for turning over the Top soil. The earth under neath needs to be loosened too. You would need to contact a landscape gardner or architect about instaling a soak-away(drain-away) or getting some type of drainage system fitted around the lawn.....you know what i mean.

Answer 5

If the cause of the poor drainage is a hardpan, and the rotavator tills deep enough to break the hardpan (which would be surprising) then yes. But if the cause of poor drainage is slope, or any one of a number of other factors then no. Drainage issues can be pretty difficult to deal with.

Answer 6

No.
the tines or blades of a rotavator spin round and if your soil is heavy or has clay in it it will smear and cause a pan ie a hard layer below the surface which does not let the wter through.
you are better digging it properly (think of the exercise) and incorporatinf lots of bulky organic matter - farm yard manure, peat substitute or compost, as you should be recycling house hold waste compost all the kitchen waste ,grass clippings and garden debris and dig this in.
if it is very bad dig in some garden grit or think about putting drains in if possible backfilled with gravel
have fun

Answer 7

No. If you have drainage problems you're soils likey to be heavy. A rotavator will struggle with this soil anyway.

To imrpove drainage you robably want to peel off the top soil or put in shingle/stone. Them improve the soil with a claybreaker or Gypsum.

Answer 8

Yes,,but only to the bottom of the turned over earth.

You will need to dig a narrow trench, lay a perferated land drain , or stone & run down into an existing manhole or soakaway.

Answer 9

No,

Install some other form off drainage. pipes or an open trench

Answer 10

Yes as it does help to break up the soil so as it has more space through the soil as has been broken up and it is not compacted down.