Looking for advice on a lawn that has poor drainage.

[Smallaxe]

Just raise the area as suggestted earlier, and let it drain towards the woods...

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by sandman512

No low lying area, there is a pitch to the rear. I'm thinking just POOR drainage, the ground seems really compact.

Appropriate section highlighted, given you have eliminated a high water table.

You essentially have a perched water table and irrigation is a bit like adding water to dry mix concrete .... add just a little too much water it turns into soup. Same thing is happening with your soil. The usual recommendation of standard shallow coring/aerating will not cut it in this case. Changing the grade by adding soil won't work either.

[capetrees]

Might I also suggest thinning out some of the trees creating shade for the grass? Let some sun in to dry out the soil and allow the grass some much needed sunlight. Or you could overseed with shade mix. My fix it process would be slice seed with shade mix, aerate and fertilze with starter fertilzer. The grass is very thin.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by Kiril

... Changing the grade by adding soil won't work either.

I don't agree with that idea, in that only the top couple of inches need to be above the 'puddle'...
This OP is not going to correct the soil either, so there is no other option for him...

[sandman512]

Originally Posted by Kiril

Appropriate section highlighted, given you have eliminated a high water table.

You essentially have a perched water table and irrigation is a bit like adding water to dry mix concrete .... add just a little too much water it turns into soup. Same thing is happening with your soil. The usual recommendation of standard shallow coring/aerating will not cut it in this case. Changing the grade by adding soil won't work either.

What would you suggest?

Originally Posted by Smallaxe

I don't agree with that idea, in that only the top couple of inches need to be above the 'puddle'...
This OP is not going to correct the soil either, so there is no other option for him...

When you say this OP is not going to correct the soil, what is needed for correcting the soil? Maybe I will?

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by sandman512

What would you suggest?

The only real solution is to break up the compacted layer. Any other suggestion here is a pointless waste of money and time.

A pic of a soil on a site that has the exact same conditions as you have described here.

As you can see .... the soil looks great above the compacted layer due to coring and compost additions. The soil at the bottom of the core depth remains highly compacted, causing a perched water table to develop which then leads to a soggy, soft, saturated soil above the compacted layer if the irrigation is even slightly too much.

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by Smallaxe

I don't agree with that idea, in that only the top couple of inches need to be above the 'puddle'...

Doesn't work that way Axe.

[capetrees]

I don't know where Kiril got the idea that it was perched water or that his pic is exactly what's happening but I'm sticking with my solution, simple and cheap. It looks to be a shady compacted soil area that needs to be aerated, seeded and fertilized.

Good luck!!

[sandman512]

First and foremost, I appreciate all the replies and advice. I cannot emphasize how SHADY that portion of the lawn is. Also, the water does NOT puddle there are at all. The is a slight pitch towards the rear of the lawn. The real problem appears to be DRAINAGE. The other 2/3 or so of the lawn is looking good.

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by capetrees

I don't know where Kiril got the idea that it was perched water or that his pic is exactly what's happening but I'm sticking with my solution, simple and cheap. It looks to be a shady compacted soil area that needs to be aerated, seeded and fertilized

The pic I posted was to demonstrate the soil conditions on a site with the exact same muddy, swamp like, saturated soil conditions when too much water is added.

The explanation of conditions by the OP of how the soil/site reacts when irrigated/rained on.

Originally Posted by sandman512

The grass for now is green, but the soil looks and feels like you're in a swamp. The irrigation system to that section has been turned off. It is extremely muddy and when mowing over, there are tire marks left.

Originally Posted by sandman512

I actually shut off that particular zone. Funny thing, it has been pretty warm and try here for a week, BUT as soon as there is water, back to the same problem....

Originally Posted by sandman512

There is no spring underneath there. We actually confirmed this via the DEC for another reason. No low lying area, there is a pitch to the rear. I'm thinking just POOR drainage, the ground seems really compact.

Originally Posted by sandman512

Also, the water does NOT puddle there are at all. The is a slight pitch towards the rear of the lawn.

Are we clear where I got my "ideas" cape?