Table of Contents
How do I prepare my soil for a rain garden?
Prepare the Soil Slope the sides gradually from the outside edge to the deepest area. Use the soil that you remove to build up a slightly raised area on the lowest side of the garden. This berm will help contain the stormwater and allow it to percolate slowly through the rain garden.
How do you set up a rain garden?
Create the rain garden by building a berm in a low spot in the yard, then build swales to channel runoff from the gutters and higher parts of the yard. The water is then absorbed into the soil through the network of deep plant roots. Use a mix of plants adapted to your area and to the different water depths.
How deep should my rain garden be?
A typical rain garden is between four and eight inches deep. A rain garden much less than four inches deep will need an excessive amount of surface area to provide enough water storage to infiltrate the larger storms.
How do you build a residential rain garden?
Follow these six steps to establish a rain garden in your landscape: Select a location. The ideal spot to build a rain garden is close to the house — but not too close — where it can capture water running off the roof. Prepare the site. Direct Downspouts. Pick the Right Plants. Maximize Mulch. Maintain.
What plants do you put in a rain garden?
Try a mix of wildflowers, perennials, ornamental grasses, natives and other plants recommended for your USDA growing zone. They should be able to tolerate both wet conditions when rainwater fills the garden and dry conditions when rain is scarce.
Do rain gardens attract mosquitoes?
Will a Rain Garden Attract Mosquitoes? Water should stand in a rain garden no longer than 24 hours after the rain stops. Mosquitoes cannot complete their breeding cycle in this length of time, so a rain garden should not increase mosquito populations.
What is the difference between a bioswale and a rain garden?
Rain Gardens versus Bioswales The main difference is that the bioswale moves water to somewhere else in the garden, while also allowing some (but not all) of it to infiltrate. A rain garden is specifically meant to increase infiltration. Bioswales are often used to convey water to a rain garden.
How do you build a rain garden on a slope?
For a rain garden, the slope from the highest to the lowest point in the desired area should not measure more than 12 percent. If it is higher, as in the case of a hill, digging into the side of the hill may compromise its stability, making erosion more of a problem.
What size rain garden do I need?
Size – Rain gardens are typically 7 to 20 percent the size of the impervious surface generating the runoff entering the garden. Measure the square footage of the impervious area (length x width); then multiply this by 0.07 (7 percent). Determine a length and width of the rain garden that best fits the site.
Do rain gardens work?
Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property. Rain gardens can also help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, song birds and other wildlife.
Where should I put my rain garden?
The rain garden should be located in a place that can collect as much impervious area (driveway, roof, sidewalks) runoff as possible. The best areas are generally where water naturally drains but doesn’t hold water. It should also be located at least 5′-15′ away from your home.
Can you plant vegetables in a rain garden?
As long as rain does not run off large, paved areas, chemical-laden lawns, or roofs made of lead or treated wood, it is safe to use on vegetable gardens.
How do you build a rain garden in clay soil?
Try using a 2:1 ratio of the drainage area to the surface area of your garden (most rain gardens in better soils use approximately a 4:1 ratio). For instance, if your garden will be draining a 200 sq. ft. of rooftop, plan the surface area of your garden to be 100 sq.
Can you plant a garden next to your house?
Yes, planting a fruit or vegetable garden next to your house is a very good idea – even better if you do it on a raised bed. You won’t have to worry about weeds, you’ll have more control over the soil, and most importantly, it’ll be convenient.
How much water can a rain garden absorb?
If your rain garden (aka swale) is 10′ wide and 8-1/2′ long, its area (10′ x 8.5′) is 85 square feet. So at 12” deep, it will hold about 620 gallons of rainwater. If you dig it down just 6” deep, your rain garden will hold only half of that, or just 310 gallons of water.
What can I plant near a downspout?
Plants for Creating the Downspout Garden Plan 1 Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum): Zones 4-8. 2 Pink turtlehead (Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’): Zones 3-7. 5 Dwarf sweetflag (Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’): Zones 5-8. 3 Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica): Zones 5-9.
Why are rain gardens good?
Rain gardens perform the following functions: filter stormwater runoff before it enters local waterways, alleviates problems associated with flooding and drainage, recharges the ground water supply, provides habitat and food for wildlife, including birds and butterflies, and enhances the beauty of yards and the Aug 27, 2010.
