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MNLawnGuy1980 Lawn/Pond Journal - 2021 Journal

44K views 202 replies 32 participants last post by  bosox_5 
#1 ·
Hello,
Kicking this off for 2021. 16 days until Spring, which means absolutely nothing in MN. The first mow in 2020 was on 03/30, we will see how this year compares.

I am shooting for more consistency this year, less roller coaster of decision making, and more stroll in the park consistency. The more consistency approach is driven by me constantly doing stupid stuff throughout the year, i.e. when my lawn is thriving at .3 or .4, I am going to do my best not to make the jump down to .25 to "see how it will do".

I am moving away from a pre-emergent this year as I applied it last year and I did not like how handcuffed I felt regarding not being able to overseed. I will spot spray as needed.

Pics from last year of what I am working with:



Most of the items on my to-do/planning list are in the backyard and I have listed those below.
Mowers:
  • Jacobsen Eclipse2: Sticking with the Eclipse for this year again. The new reel for it came in yesterday and I will be changing it out. I dinged up the left side last year and had to file it down.

  • Jake 426: Replace the reel and get it going this year.
Front Yard:
  • Dethatch, light top dress, overseed as I will probably have to deal with snow mold damage again
Backyard:
  • These two wreak havoc on the lawn back there but that is fine, I do not spend as much time tending to it.

  • Drainage: Put in a drainage system that gets to the pond. This is at the top of the list of items to complete for the backyard. I plan to rent a sod cutter, then trench it out and lay corrugated french drain piping to the pond. I may just do the prefabricated piping to avoid having to mess with laying gravel in the trench.



  • Trees: We are putting in 16, 7-gallon Techny Arborvitae on each side to get some privacy back there. My "plan" is to shape them into a shrub and maintain them at ~5' tall.

  • Pond: Our pond in the back is getting overrun with cattails. I have talked to all the neighbors on the pond and I plan to get it under control this year before it is taken over by them.

  • Fountain: Run electric down to the pond and install a 1HP fountain. Pic below is a mockup.

  • Spray Catt Plex Herbicide
  • UltraClear Farm Blue Dry Packs
  • Floating duck house: I am sick of seeing random duck heads in my backyard that are left by the coyotes/foxes. Our 10-year-old and I are starting this weekend on building a floating duck house like the pic below. Hopefully, it will get used.

  • I have been scouring marketplace for a reasonably priced 16-24' roll in dock to throw in down there. Also looking for a cheap pedal boat to float around in. It might only get used for me working on the pond but it would be fun to have back there.

Hope everyone has a great year!!
 
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#6 ·
03/08: Not quite ready to mow, but I did take the lawn vac out over the front yard and cleaned up a lot of debris. Felt great to be out again. Temp is looking to hit 70 tomorrow, beach day!

Went back to front and I am pretty surprised that my diagonal lines stayed the way they did.



 
#7 ·
Looking forward to following your journal!

MNLawnGuy1980 said:
I am shooting for more consistency this year, less roller coaster of decision making, and more stroll in the park consistency. The more consistency approach is driven by me constantly doing stupid stuff throughout the year, i.e. when my lawn is thriving at .3 or .4, I am going to do my best not to make the jump down to .25 to "see how it will do".
This quote stood out to me and is something I hope to aim for as well. Too much roller coaster changes especially when it comes to HOC for me in the past. If you don't mind, I might borrow this quote when I start my journal for 2021. :thumbsup:
 
#8 ·
Thanks @Pete1313, have at it.
The one thing I am hoping for with more experience is the understanding that I have done most of the dumb things I can do to my lawn...I am just thinking that maybe I will learn from them eventually!! Example being that when the grass is doing well, maybe wait a week and then go from .4-.35 instead of .4-.25. Yeah, that kind of stuff!

I will get there someday
 
#9 ·
I'm learning more how HOC changes can have consequences as well. Even in my HOC range, going from .75"-1" or vice versa may not be best if done too quickly or even if done slowly at the wrong time might not be the best.

This is a couple clips of a conversation that @osuturfman and I had that extended from a Ryan Knorr podcast https://theryanknorrpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/turfcast-ep-11 where he talked about HOC changes.



 
#10 ·
@MNLawnGuy1980 @Pete1313 I just wanted to jump in quickly and give my thoughts on this quote - which I think is outstanding advice for everybody on this forum. The tendency is to always tinker and try to make things better. Reality is, a lot of times we make things worse. I believe the hardest thing to do is, once you find something that works; stick with it.

Reading that quote above is something I needed to read heading into this season. Great job! Look forward to your progress in 2021.
 
#11 ·
Regarding the french drain, I'd check out a few videos on the French Drain Man channel. He has a thing or two to say about different types of piping and his opinions on the matter. Doing a little bit of research into that may save you a few headaches in the future. I wish I could TLDR his opinions for you but it's been a long time since I've taken the deep dive into the french drain topic. I'm only throwing it out there because it'd suck to dig up the lawn again to fix an issue that could have been avoided! Best of luck, and the lawn is looking awesome already.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the heads up@GrassOnTheHills, I get a kick out of the french drain man and the apple drain guy in Florida. One will do a video showing how they do it and the other will do a video how they do it and how "others" are wrong on it. French drain man looks to be the most effective but it does not look as though his process is real cost effective for me.
I got my ez drain for $3.99 a foot, his corrugated pipe alone is $27 a foot, without the fabric and rock. I need about 100 feet. Lets just say that I am going into it knowing that it may not be the best drain out there, but with limited dollars allocated to this, I understand the risks on it.

Good luck with your lawn this year!
 
#13 ·
Getting a lot of rain today which is great for the front yard, not so great for the mud pit I have in the back.



Now for what I am working with in the backyard...yeah, really need to get that drain put in. The mud pit is where the tramp goes, I am going to move it this year, or just throw it in the pond and be done with it.

I am not going to do anything back there until I get that done. This is my starting point for the back.
 
#14 ·
I haven't been able to do much with the lawn yet due to weather, supposed to get some snow today. Some pond supplies arrived over the weekend though. Have no experience with any of this stuff but am going to give them a whirl. Picked up a cheap 4-gallon back pack sprayer for the pond chemicals.

  • Pond Bacteria - Reduces muck and sludge
  • Blue Pond Dye
  • Cattplex - Cattail control
  • Aquatic Surfactant
 
#15 ·
MNLawnGuy1980 said:
Drainage: Put in a drainage system that gets to the pond. This is at the top of the list of items to complete for the backyard. I plan to rent a sod cutter, then trench it out and lay corrugated french drain piping to the pond. I may just do the prefabricated piping to avoid having to mess with laying gravel in the trench.



  • Trees: We are putting in 16, 7-gallon Techny Arborvitae on each side to get some privacy back there. My "plan" is to shape them into a shrub and maintain them at ~5' tall.
Just FYI, planting stuff in that swale will make your drainage problems worse. The root mass grows over time and dams up the swale, forming a new pond. Also, My Arborvitae do not like it when the soil is saturated...

MNLawnGuy1980 said:
Getting a lot of rain today which is great for the front yard, not so great for the mud pit I have in the back.



Now for what I am working with in the backyard...yeah, really need to get that drain put in. The mud pit is where the tramp goes, I am going to move it this year, or just throw it in the pond and be done with it.

I am not going to do anything back there until I get that done. This is my starting point for the back.
MNLawnGuy1980 said:
I'm doing a _crapload_ of drainage at my property. So, here's some unsolicited, drive by, sorry for the "wall of text", advice...

  • If you only want to do it once, give French Drain Man a call. They really know there stuff and can help identify the root of the problem and put a solution together. They are based out of Michigan, and ship to the con-us. Their single wall 4" "High Octane" pipe (in Solid, Perforated, and knife-cut) is crazy strong compared to stuff you get at a big box.
  • It would be helpful to get a couple of picture looking through the lowest part of the swale into the pond... This should resolve some loose ends in my mental model of your hydrological conundrum.

Questions...
  • In this pic off to the right, it looks like someone put a mulch bed + planted a tree in the bottom of the swale? Did a homeowner add this? Sometimes a berm like this is engineered into the community's drainage plan (such as to mitigate erosion, regulate infiltration rate to the pond, etc..). It disperses the concentrated water over a wider area which makes it more difficult/work/expense to collect), and may make this area "swampy" over time. If not part of the drainage plan consider:
  • The "inflow(s)" are ideal locations for an inlet to collect this surface water
  • move bed / berm out of the swale (...it a lot of work? ...not your property?).
  • "divert it" around the berm by creating a "bypass"

Questions: More general:
  • Do you have issue with the yard being "generally" soggy or muddy outside of the area along the property line? Or a problem with water loving weeds, like sedges?

Questions: Tramp Spot:

  • what is the origin of the concentrated water where the trampoline was? has a "dish" formed there? What about to the "high side" of it, seems like water is standing/concentrated there too. Try to identify the "upstream" origin of this. Perhaps it's coming from from / between your house and the neighbor on the high side.
  • Where do your (and the "high side neighbor") downspouts / sump pump / etc discharge?

Questions: Where is the upstream source?

  • what the origin of the surface water flowing in from over your right shoulder the mulch bed?
  • ..is it this storm water drain in the street (7-20 ft past your domination line) passing under the sidewalk with an outlet (or leak / blockage) somewhere which flows into that swale all the way to the pond? If so, collect that at the source and give it a straight shot to the pond.
  • what is upstream source of the standing water on the far right?
  • What is the thing in the "bottom right" of the pond looks like a culvert pipe perhaps?

Questions: Perhaps something else is contributing to your water problems?

  • There seems to be _a lot_ of water in your swale. Do other lots have this too? If there's no obvious place where bulk water is flowing into the swale, there could be water infrastructure underground in the swale such as this (what appears to be a) culvert pipe or perhaps a feeder line to it? If the water seems to be flowing out of the ground in one spot or "every 6 feet" or "in a straight line", something "unnatural" , consider that some underground infrastructure may be the root of problem. It could be a blockage or broken / collapsed, or perhaps even just improperly installed...
  • A time-lapse of the "upstream" problem area might provide more insight
  • Go to the area when its bad, does it seem like the water is flowing up from the soil, or just collected from "uphill"
  • any sink hole forming? It would not be the first time that culvert was installed backwards

Random things I learned the hard way:

  • Generally, you want to be very careful with any drain near a body of water to ensure that the relief (outflow) is safely above the high water mark of the pond/lake/etc. You don't want the body of water to "backflow" via the outlet, this effectively gives the pond a path to make your yard into a septic field / mote.
  • Use grading as a tool to solve or help solve your drainage issues. Slight changes in grade can have a dramatic effect on the path water takes. For example, where the trampoline was, maybe just try to make that the top of (what appears to be a) the crown?
  • Generally, try to avoid "cutting in" to your existing grade to direct water, unless you have _a lot_ of fall you'll fall into the trap of creating a lower and lower path for the water, and next thing you know, you have "pulled" the water into a new low spot / wet area. Instead, I've found it better to "push" the water where you want it to go by_adding_ grade. Remember, water find it's own level and takes the lowest possible void path.
  • Never Fill in Collection Areas
  • Don't make things worse part 1 Part2

Things to know about a french drain (perforated pipe, 16" deep, 14" wide, geofabric, etc ) for your situation:

  • Is an option, and if executed correctly may be a "better" solution...
  • but is a lot more work + materials + excavation + skill needed to get right (Tips and Tricks)
  • As I understand it, the problem is a high concentration of surface water which flows though a swale to its final destination, effectively the high water mark of the pond.
  • You'll need significant cross-sectional void / airspace and enough slope to move the bulk water I see in the photos
  • I'd guess 4 x 4" perforated pipe, FDM calls this a "quadpack" - this airspace also assists with root pruning
  • The french drain system needs to be sealed from contaminates entering with filter fabric
  • French drains are one tool in the toolbox for "seepage drainage"
  • Moving bulk/surface water thought a french drain is possible. It needs to be filtered and have enough slope (3%) to keep the water moving
  • You can run Surface Drains, including downspouts in the same trench as the french drain. This will prevent the bulk surface water from percing into adjacent soil, where by capillary action it can "leach" into the sub soil.
  • Keep in mind that for a french drain to work we must create an airspace that is lower than the existing water table to be effective. When a Water feature dictates the water table, you can't drain a lake to itself with seepage drainage, can only drain to the airspace. If relief (outflow) is lower than the lake, seepage drainage becomes a septic field, makes problems worse. If relief above resting level of the lake, then lake rises during a rain event above relief, water backs into French Drain / Seepage drainage (Septic Effect), as if it was below the water level of the lake. To get around this is possible but starts to get complicated, you have to control the relief, and go deeper than water table, _then_ pump out to create air space
  • A seepage drainage solution is the only option if you want it to be "invisible"

Suggestion: Consider surface drains to direct the surface water to the pond.

  • IMHO, your highest priority should be to prevent any bulk water on the surface from becoming seepage water in the soil profile. Once it becomes seepage, much more effort is needed to collect it. A contributing factor is the obstructions in the swale, these inhibit flow (velocity). With a pond in the mix you also have a high water table to contend with as well.
  • Based on the photos, my first suggestion is that you go with a simple "yard drain" or "surface drain" to collect the bulk water at the surface(Puddle in the Far Right Edge) and give it a "fast path" to the pond.
  • This is just corrugated non-perforated pipe(I'd go 6"), inlet(s), a cleanout basin and a relief (outflow).
  • Seal all the seams/connections with tile tape.
  • No rock / stone / geo fabric / etc needed along the line (can be used near basins depending on the case).
  • From the photos it looks like your water problem is caused by a high concentration of runoff passing through the swale from (unknown) to the pond.
  • In this case, for best results, chase the flow uphill (taking pictures :) ) and locate the highest concentration(s) of surface water (or your property line if that's a restriction).
  • These are the _Ideal_ place for inlets.
  • Rectangular inlets should be perpendicular to the direction of flow.
  • We can further develop a plan on this once some of the questions have been answered. (There's more options too...)

A couple of example for inlets for collecting surface water:
  • https://www.polylok.com/20-round-catch-basins-prod-283.html
  • http://www.turfdrain.com/channels-and-curbing/
  • https://www.polylok.com/rain-drainage-boxes-prod-162.html (may not apply to your case, would need to see the problem area)

Suggestion 2: A combined approach

  • redefine the swale along your property line down to the pond by grading / filling
  • use grade / fill to further direct water to inlet(s)
  • inlet takes water in and directs it to the pond
  • Inlet here is some void / channel to manage the flow
  • outflow should be above the top of ponds culvert pipe (presumable the high water mark)

Example plan 1 for Suggestion 2: dry creek bed
  • Construct a dry creek bed, channel drain/gutter to act as a Inlet / Transport via a vein of stone. This provides a void for water to flow through
  • outflow is near the shore it (vein of stone) could "blend" into your existing cobble on the shore
  • Trench 6" deep, maybe 14" to 16" wide
  • compact native soil
  • line with geo fabric, fill with stone (I'd use 3" round rock or larger)
  • The trench should have a steady downward slope without any dips or bellys and "cut through" all the problem areas
  • If you don't like a vain of stone running along the property line, a variation of this is to use
  • This will give the surface water a "fast path" to the pond (that's not crossing your yard).

Variations...
  • If you consider either of these, the "deep dive" links are a must...
  • Trench and backfill with sand. You can use something like 2 or 3 wide High Octane with a sock
  • ... or like TurfDrain which can use a smaller trench width
  • Turf Drain Perma Basins are slick because they can collect surface water and seepage water. They are intended for golf so they also have the ability to easily add risers should you start top dressing / sand capping program. You can also seal off and burry the inlet, and later add the inlet if you need it.

If you're the type to "deep dive..."

 
#17 ·
bwerthmann said:
MNLawnGuy1980 said:
Drainage: Put in a drainage system that gets to the pond. This is at the top of the list of items to complete for the backyard. I plan to rent a sod cutter, then trench it out and lay corrugated french drain piping to the pond. I may just do the prefabricated piping to avoid having to mess with laying gravel in the trench.



  • Trees: We are putting in 16, 7-gallon Techny Arborvitae on each side to get some privacy back there. My "plan" is to shape them into a shrub and maintain them at ~5' tall.
Just FYI, planting stuff in that swale will make your drainage problems worse. The root mass grows over time and dams up the swale, forming a new pond. Also, My Arborvitae do not like it when the soil is saturated...

MNLawnGuy1980 said:
Getting a lot of rain today which is great for the front yard, not so great for the mud pit I have in the back.



Now for what I am working with in the backyard...yeah, really need to get that drain put in. The mud pit is where the tramp goes, I am going to move it this year, or just throw it in the pond and be done with it.

I am not going to do anything back there until I get that done. This is my starting point for the back.
MNLawnGuy1980 said:
I'm doing a _crapload_ of drainage at my property. So, here's some unsolicited, drive by, sorry for the "wall of text", advice...

  • If you only want to do it once, give French Drain Man a call. They really know there stuff and can help identify the root of the problem and put a solution together. They are based out of Michigan, and ship to the con-us. Their single wall 4" "High Octane" pipe (in Solid, Perforated, and knife-cut) is crazy strong compared to stuff you get at a big box.
  • It would be helpful to get a couple of picture looking through the lowest part of the swale into the pond... This should resolve some loose ends in my mental model of your hydrological conundrum.

Questions...
  • In this pic off to the right, it looks like someone put a mulch bed + planted a tree in the bottom of the swale? Did a homeowner add this? Sometimes a berm like this is engineered into the community's drainage plan (such as to mitigate erosion, regulate infiltration rate to the pond, etc..). It disperses the concentrated water over a wider area which makes it more difficult/work/expense to collect), and may make this area "swampy" over time. If not part of the drainage plan consider:
  • The "inflow(s)" are ideal locations for an inlet to collect this surface water
  • move bed / berm out of the swale (...it a lot of work? ...not your property?).
  • "divert it" around the berm by creating a "bypass"

Questions: More general:
  • Do you have issue with the yard being "generally" soggy or muddy outside of the area along the property line? Or a problem with water loving weeds, like sedges?

Questions: Tramp Spot:

  • what is the origin of the concentrated water where the trampoline was? has a "dish" formed there? What about to the "high side" of it, seems like water is standing/concentrated there too. Try to identify the "upstream" origin of this. Perhaps it's coming from from / between your house and the neighbor on the high side.
  • Where do your (and the "high side neighbor") downspouts / sump pump / etc discharge?

Questions: Where is the upstream source?

  • what the origin of the surface water flowing in from over your right shoulder the mulch bed?
  • ..is it this storm water drain in the street (7-20 ft past your domination line) passing under the sidewalk with an outlet (or leak / blockage) somewhere which flows into that swale all the way to the pond? If so, collect that at the source and give it a straight shot to the pond.
  • what is upstream source of the standing water on the far right?
  • What is the thing in the "bottom right" of the pond looks like a culvert pipe perhaps?

Questions: Perhaps something else is contributing to your water problems?

  • There seems to be _a lot_ of water in your swale. Do other lots have this too? If there's no obvious place where bulk water is flowing into the swale, there could be water infrastructure underground in the swale such as this (what appears to be a) culvert pipe or perhaps a feeder line to it? If the water seems to be flowing out of the ground in one spot or "every 6 feet" or "in a straight line", something "unnatural" , consider that some underground infrastructure may be the root of problem. It could be a blockage or broken / collapsed, or perhaps even just improperly installed...
  • A time-lapse of the "upstream" problem area might provide more insight
  • Go to the area when its bad, does it seem like the water is flowing up from the soil, or just collected from "uphill"
  • any sink hole forming? It would not be the first time that culvert was installed backwards

Random things I learned the hard way:

  • Generally, you want to be very careful with any drain near a body of water to ensure that the relief (outflow) is safely above the high water mark of the pond/lake/etc. You don't want the body of water to "backflow" via the outlet, this effectively gives the pond a path to make your yard into a septic field / mote.
  • Use grading as a tool to solve or help solve your drainage issues. Slight changes in grade can have a dramatic effect on the path water takes. For example, where the trampoline was, maybe just try to make that the top of (what appears to be a) the crown?
  • Generally, try to avoid "cutting in" to your existing grade to direct water, unless you have _a lot_ of fall you'll fall into the trap of creating a lower and lower path for the water, and next thing you know, you have "pulled" the water into a new low spot / wet area. Instead, I've found it better to "push" the water where you want it to go by_adding_ grade. Remember, water find it's own level and takes the lowest possible void path.
  • Never Fill in Collection Areas

Things to know about a french drain (perforated pipe, 16" deep, 14" wide, geofabric, etc ) for your situation:

  • Is an option, and if executed correctly may be a "better" solution...
  • but is a lot more work + materials + excavation + skill needed to get right (Tips and Tricks)
  • As I understand it, the problem is a high concentration of surface water which flows though a swale to its final destination, effectively the high water mark of the pond.
  • You'll need significant cross-sectional void / airspace and enough slope to move the bulk water I see in the photos
  • I'd guess 4 x 4" perforated pipe, FDM calls this a "quadpack" - this airspace also assists with root pruning
  • The french drain system needs to be sealed from contaminates entering with filter fabric
  • French drains are one tool in the toolbox for "seepage drainage"
  • Moving bulk/surface water thought a french drain is possible. It needs to be filtered and have enough slope (3%) to keep the water moving
  • You can run Surface Drains, including downspouts in the same trench as the french drain. This will prevent the bulk surface water from percing into adjacent soil, where by capillary action it can "leach" into the sub soil.
  • Keep in mind that for a french drain to work we must create an airspace that is lower than the existing water table to be effective. When a Water feature dictates the water table, you can't drain a lake to itself with seepage drainage, can only drain to the airspace. If relief (outflow) is lower than the lake, seepage drainage becomes a septic field, makes problems worse. If relief above resting level of the lake, then lake rises during a rain event above relief, water backs into French Drain / Seepage drainage (Septic Effect), as if it was below the water level of the lake. To get around this is possible but starts to get complicated, you have to control the relief, and go deeper than water table, _then_ pump out to create air space
  • A seepage drainage solution is the only option if you want it to be "invisible"

Suggestion: Consider surface drains to direct the surface water to the pond.

  • Based on the photos, my first suggestion is that you go with a simple "yard drain" or "surface drain" to collect the bulk water at the surface(Puddle in the Far Right Edge) and give it a "fast path" to the pond.
  • This is just corrugated non-perforated pipe(I'd go 6"), inlet(s), a cleanout basin and a relief (outflow).
  • Seal all the seams/connections with tile tape.
  • No rock / stone / geo fabric / etc needed along the line (can be used near basins depending on the case).
  • From the photos it looks like your water problem is caused by a high concentration of runoff passing through the swale from (unknown) to the pond.
  • In this case, for best results, chase the flow uphill (taking pictures :) ) and locate the highest concentration(s) of surface water (or your property line if that's a restriction).
  • These are the _Ideal_ place for inlets.
  • Rectangular inlets should be perpendicular to the direction of flow.
  • We can further develop a plan on this once some of the questions have been answered. (There's more options too...)

A couple of example for inlets for collecting surface water:
  • https://www.polylok.com/20-round-catch-basins-prod-283.html
  • http://www.turfdrain.com/channels-and-curbing/
  • https://www.polylok.com/rain-drainage-boxes-prod-162.html (may not apply to your case, would need to see the problem area)

Suggestion 2: A combined approach

  • redefine the swale along your property line down to the pond by grading / filling
  • use grade / fill to further direct water to inlet(s)
  • inlet takes water in and directs it to the pond
  • Inlet here is some void / channel to manage the flow
  • outflow should be above the top of ponds culvert pipe (presumable the high water mark)

Example plan 1 for Suggestion 2: dry creek bed
  • Construct a dry creek bed, channel drain/gutter to act as a Inlet / Transport via a vein of stone. This provides a void for water to flow through
  • outflow is near the shore it (vein of stone) could "blend" into your existing cobble on the shore
  • Trench 6" deep, maybe 14" to 16" wide
  • compact native soil
  • line with geo fabric, fill with stone (I'd use 3" round rock or larger)
  • The trench should have a steady downward slope without any dips or bellys and "cut through" all the problem areas
  • If you don't like a vain of stone running along the property line, a variation of this is to use
  • This will give the surface water a "fast path" to the pond (that's not crossing your yard).

Variations...
  • If you consider either of these, the "deep dive" links are a must...
  • Trench and backfill with sand. You can use something like 2 or 3 wide High Octane with a sock
  • ... or like TurfDrain which can use a smaller trench width
  • Turf Drain Perma Basins are slick because they can collect surface water and seepage water. They are intended for golf so they also have the ability to easily add risers should you start top dressing / sand capping program. You can also seal off and burry the inlet, and later add the inlet if you need it.

If you're the type to "deep dive..."

Ohh, I see that knowledge you dropped.
 
#19 ·
@bwerthmann, dang, thank you for the well thought out post. That is a ton of great information. Based on what you put together, it would appear something like a surface drain(s) would be the best approach to just get the water from that area directly down into the pond. At least, that is what I am thinking.

What happened was the area between the yards, probably about 10-15 yards(blue space in the pic below) was left ungraded as that is an access way to the city to the pond. We told the builder that we would like it graded and it was supposed to be graded to the pond, it was not and now we have a fun bowl effect in the back corner.


"Do you have issue with the yard being "generally" soggy or muddy outside of the area along the property line? Or a problem with water loving weeds, like sedges?"
"what is the origin of the concentrated water where the trampoline was? has a "dish" formed there? What about to the "high side" of it, seems like water is standing/concentrated there too. Try to identify the "upstream" origin of this. Perhaps it's coming from from / between your house and the neighbor on the high side."

The only spot in the whole yard I have issues is where I circled in blue, my two neighbors runoff converge right there and then get hung up by the bowl in the back corner. My downspout is also in that SE corner of the house so the runoff from my gutter goes there as well. All of the arrows are where the water is coming from.
 
#20 ·
I had to adjust my wants vs. capabilities for the floating duck house. I haven't been able to do any lawn stuff so we worked on duck house on Saturday. First coat of stain put on today. It has 4" of foam board underneath so I am hoping it floats. That would kind of suck if it just sunk as soon as I put it out!
It will be anchored with a cinder block on both sides to prevent it from moving, and so the opening is always facing our house.
We will probably throw one more coat of lacquer on there and hopefully get it out this week.

 
#21 ·
Haven't done anything with the lawn since the 8th. Greening up nicely. Getting my mower back on Friday so I am hoping to get started this weekend if the rain holds off.
 
#22 ·
Got out today for the first mow of the year in the front yard. Had the hoc at .25, will raise it up to .35 or .40 for the year. Am planning to level out a couple areas. Should have more to post next weekend when I start doing more that is not drain and pond related.


Got the duck house out in the pond today also. Really pleased with how it turned out...looking forward to seeing some ducks in there. I need to adjust the anchors a little as I would like for it to be pointed towards the house most of the time. Oh well, I will figure it out.




Girls taking the paddle boat for a spin:


Also was able to get the drain put in the backyard yesterday. It was quite the project so hopefully it helps. I will post more on this when I feel like talking about drains again. Now is not a good time for that.




 
#25 ·
Dethatched and cleaned up the backyard yesterday, then put down a couple bags of Milorganite. Rain is expected most of the week so I do not anticipate getting out and doing much.

I got notification that our trees are ready to be picked up so I might be able to get them put in on Saturday. We will see how the rest of the week shapes up.
 
#26 ·
I broke a stud on the hoc adjuster Wednesday on the Jacobsen, but got it all put back together. All ready to go for a mow tomorrow after all of the rain from this week. I see I have plenty of grass in the mulch that I am going to have to take care of.
 
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