# Help me choose a wetting agent for this scenario



## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

After a few years of battling patchy Bermuda in my backyard I am finally ready to give a wetting agent a try for my hydrophobic Georgia red clay. The area I struggle with the most is pictured below in my backyard, at the bottom of a steep berm. Here is a list of things I have tried to manage this situation and why I am finally willing to spend the money for a wetting agent:

-Installed drainage to take extra water away from the area after a hard rain and remove any standing water
-Adjusted irrigation heads to cover area sufficiently
-Both manual and liquid aeration the past two seasons
-Removed a sweet gum and pine that covered this area with shade. Area now gets enough sunlight and air movement

I have narrowed my choice to three products but want to make the right purchase due to the prices of these products.

Aquatrols Revolution, Tournament Ready, and Ryan Knorr's new SOAKOrr are under consideration. No reviews exist for the SOAKOrr, and it is very intriguing at that price point.

Note: the shiny spot is actually standing water from rain earlier this AM.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I'd *seriously* consider Tournament Ready.

However.. Can you possibly rent a penetrometer and measure the areas with standing water? Chemical additions -might- not completely fix it (if there's some other issue ongoing, such as a sub-surface mixture of very hard rocks et al)

Another option is to possibly get a drill + auger bit and drill down about a foot and pull up the core and see if you notice anything. If you don't, repack the drill hole with topsoil + sand (50/50) to loosen it up)

There appears to be a hill to the left of the picture. It's possible water flow volume coming down from the hill is greater than the absorption rate of the soil.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

penterra wetting agent should be another in consideration


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

You need to look at penetrants type of wa.

But like tneicna said, the hill is your real problem and the real fix is there. At the edge of the hill to your yard, you need to add water collection (eg french drain) and move all that water away from the property. I don't think the current location of the grates would work. After you do the drain in the edge of the hill, then grade your yard with a slight slope from the house towards the hill.


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

A more expensive option would be to build retaining wall(s) and steps up the hill with proper drainage. You would also gain more lawn and use the ground by the hill for planters (garden). Just an idea.


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

I really like Tournament ready, and have used it for years. However, not too long ago I ordered and used "John & Bob's Penetrate" formula. It's a 2 part liquid you mix and spray. Very easy, and I was blown away with the difference after the 1st rain. 100% fan of Underhill products and I'll always use their stuff, but this did better and worked faster.

https://www.johnandbobs.com/products/penetrate

Keep in mind, heavy long lasting rain will always be a never ending battle unless major regrading/channeling is done. I have multiple French drains, and they work great, until we get constant rain for days, then it's constantly full and I have a river on the side of my house. But the great thing about drains is that when the rain stops, you don't have puddling left for days, it all drains out.


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## JLavoe (Jun 8, 2020)

Desert resident here.
I use a variety of wetting agents, Tournament Ready and SoakORR being some of them.. both with excellent results. I understand both of these are similar in formulation, with the SoakORR having an acidifying perk.

I prefer to use the SoakORR for a broadcast spray and the Tournament Ready pellets in a Pellet Pro to treat localized dry spot. The TR liquid I'm sure would work well also.

Just sharing from a wetting agent point of view, but I think you've got some drainage issues to address as well.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I pulled up USGS data on the primary soil type in Atlanta, which is ultisol; clay accumulation in the subsoil layers can lead to very impeded drainage issues.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/georgia/GA121/0/Fulton.pdf

You will have to increase the drainage (@g-man's suggestions) so the ingress water rate is lowered from the sloping hill.

A wetting agent might help, but you should really consider fixing the ingress water from the slope (otherwise you'll end up throwing money away from fertilizer runoff)


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I agree with others here that a french drain at the base of that hill would do you wonders as far as removing water from the area. As long as you have the drain exiting to daylight it should help alleviate a majority of your issues. Using a Wetting Agent will just be a band-aid fix.

Check out Apple Drains and Gate City Foundations on YouTube as they both have excellent channels and explain and show things thoroughly.


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