Improving Drainage in Garden Beds

What's the best way to improve drainage in garden beds?

As a short-term measure we recommend mulch heavily around your plants with crushed bark or bark chip. Both products absorb considerable amounts of rainfall which would otherwise flow into your already waterlogged soil.

Effective Garden Bed Drainage

When it come to garden beds, drainage can be quite easily improved by raising the level of new and existing beds up to 300mm above the existing soil level. This immediately creates a planting site for new plants well above the poorly drained soil. By continually adding compost to these raised beds over the years, not only will the soil improve, but also the health of the plants with a free draining medium to grow in. If required, consider installing drainage coil around the garden area to redirect heavy flows of winter rain.

Possibly all over New Zealand, gardens are encountering the same wet and boggy conditions. It can be useful to clearly identify and mark areas that are particularly wet, either from poor drainage or just continual rainfall. Remedial work is best carried out in the drier months of the year involving the installation of drainage coil and/or raising gardens, especially vegetable gardens.