Table of Contents
How can I make my septic mound look nice?
Cover the mound with flowers Turning your septic mound into a stylish flower bed can help make it more attractive. However, planting flowers on top of a septic mound is a lot different than planting them in a regular flower bed.
How do you hide a septic mound?
Plant shrubs or perennial plants on the berms around the mound or along the edges where the berms meet the flat part of your yard. Avoid planting shrubs or anything with deep roots on the mound itself.
What can you put on top of a septic mound?
Grass is generally recommended as an ideal cover for sand mound septic systems because it has a relatively shallow, fibrous root system that protects the mound from erosion without having deep roots that could cause problems.
Can you plant flowers on a septic mound?
Native grasses and wildflowers are the most-recommended options for disguising a septic mound. Plants that are shallow-rooted and thrive in dry conditions are best because they won’t grow deep into the mound to seek out water. These plants also tend to be low maintenance, keeping foot traffic to a minimum on the mound.
Can you plant flowers on a sand mound?
Planting flowers can work very well, with both local natives, U.S. natives and naturalized plants all providing a potential “septic mound garden.” Our native coneflowers (Echinacea), with their many hybrid colors, are a good choice.
Should you mow your septic mound?
To prevent compaction, do not allow any vehicles or heavy equipment on the mound. When mowing the lawn, use a hand mower, rather than a riding mower. This will also help protect the mound from losing soil to erosion. The slope of the mound makes it more susceptible to erosion than a conventional drain field.
How can I hide my leach field?
Ideas to Disguise That Leach Field with More Than Just Grass Choose the Right Plants. The soil over the leach field is shallow and often sandy. Keep the Roots Short and Sweet. Know That Less Water Means Less Maintenance. A Rocky Path to Success.
How do you maintain a sand mound septic system?
Proper Care Includes: Checking the pump chamber, pump and floats every year and replacing or repairing worn or broken parts. Installing a septic tank effluent filter or pump screen, if your system does not have one. Taking action to protect the mound from overloading after a prolonged power outage or pump failure.
Can you plant anything on a mound system?
Only herbaceous plants should go on the mound, with trees and shrubs reserved for nearby areas.
Can you plant a garden on top of a septic mound?
Septic system disposal fields are designed to treat, or renovate, this wastewater. The most important reason you should not install a vegetable garden on top of, or right next to, a septic system disposal field is because the plants can become contaminated by wastewater that has not yet been renovated by the field.
Can you put anything over a septic field?
To maintain the integrity and longevity of your drainfield, you should never put anything heavy on top of any part of it. You shouldn’t even drive over the drainfield, as the vehicle can crush the drainfield lines. Heavy items cause soil compaction.
Can you put raised beds on septic field?
Tip. A raised garden can interfere with the functioning of a septic or drain field. Installing a raised garden bed over the leach lines is not recommended.
What is the lifespan of a sand mound septic system?
How Often Do Septic Tanks Need to Be Replaced? A septic tank can last between 20 and 40 years. The lifespan depends on the tank’s material.
What can you plant on a mound?
Squash and cucumber may be planted in mounds, as well as root vegetables such as beets or potatoes. The purpose of building up a mound and adding plants to that mound may be practical, aesthetic or both. A garden mound for vegetables may be 2 feet high and 3 feet across.
Can you use a riding mower on septic mound?
No. Ride-on mowers and other garden care equipment will not harm your leach field. You should, however, stay away from it with cars, pick-up trucks, and rubber tired heavy equipment like backhoe loaders.
Why have a mound septic system?
The purpose of a mound septic system is to keep the waste product away from the water table. The water table has to be maintained, and a damaged septic tank is a quick way to contaminate it. The mound septic system does a great job of protecting the water table and sometimes more so than other septic tank measures.
Can you add dirt on top of leach field?
Never add additional soil over the drain field unless it is a minimal amount used to restore an area that may have been eroded or pulled up by removing another plant. Try not to be overly zealous when tilling the soil for planting. Remember that the drain lines may be as close as 6 inches from the soil surface.
Can I build a deck over my septic tank?
You should never build a deck over a septic field; doing so will prevent the natural draining and dissipation of the effluent. This can ruin the septic system, not to mention releasing foul smells into the air all around your deck. The dissipating effluent can also rot the deck from underneath.
