The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: philcaegrug on April 18, 2013, 09:28:51 pm

Title: drainage
Post by: philcaegrug on April 18, 2013, 09:28:51 pm

I have divided my sloping 5 acre field into two.  I've opened a ditch below the dividing fence.The field is very wet on the surface but after going down a few inches it's bone dry and clay.Am I going to be better off laying herringbone drainage or just piping off the wettest parts?

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: OhLaLa on April 19, 2013, 10:38:49 am

I'd mole it. Both fields, herringbone, down towards ditch.

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: spandit on April 19, 2013, 04:49:14 pm

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: Bodger on April 19, 2013, 09:46:54 pm

Quote from: spandit on April 19, 2013, 04:49:14 pm

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

I've never heard of that ???  I thought that mole drainage was a bullet dragged through the soil with a blade. How do they get the gravel in?

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: philcaegrug on April 19, 2013, 10:01:22 pm

Checked the ditch today and the lower end is full to the top with water and land below the end is soaking so I'll continue the run on the weekend. I've got a good slope so for now I'll just open up ditches to dry the field and later probably put in perforated drainage pipe and clean stone.

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: OhLaLa on April 19, 2013, 10:27:09 pm

Remember if you go for the soakaway pipe/stone option you will need to line the ditch with membrane, otherwise the soil will get in there and clog up the flow.
 

Quote from: spandit on April 19, 2013, 04:49:14 pm

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

That's a new one on me too. A mole is pulled behind the tractor (blade/bullet as described by overthegate).
 

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: spandit on April 20, 2013, 10:26:08 am

You can do mole draining where they backfill the hole made with pebbles

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/site/farming-Pebble-mole-draining-in-Kildare-12956.html (http://www.farmersjournal.ie/site/farming-Pebble-mole-draining-in-Kildare-12956.html)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gravel+mole+drainage (https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gravel+mole+drainage)

Not as common as normal mole drainage but probably longer lasting...

Title: Re: drainage
Post by: Still playing with tractors on June 26, 2013, 10:39:18 am

It all sounds like soil compaction a mole is ok but a subsoiler would be best before digging anything followed by a slitter or areator