How To Fix A Muddy Lawn

Do you live in Victoria BC? Then you probably know someone who has dealt with the problem of muddy lawns. Having dealt with it personally I know how much of a pain and money sink it can be. Here are some possible solutions to this very common landscaping problem.

Examining the Source of the Problem

First we must ascertain what the causes of the problem are. Oftentimes it’s a mixture of factors. Poor drainage due to clay soils, being at the bottom of a hill, having neighbors drain their water into your yard, dogs that dig up the yard, excessive water from downspouts, and excessive foot traffic.

A Variety of Possible Solutions

When it comes to landscaping, there are generally a variety of possible solutions to choose from. This is no different. These are some tried and tested methods here in Victoria BC for muddy lawns.

Artificial Turf

Tearing up the existing turf and putting down an artificial turf will ensure you won’t have to worry about muddy lawns again. It’s a very effective and environmentally friendly solution to the problem of muddy lawns. It will look and feel great and is kids and pet friendly. Installation is similar to installing pavers in both the process and the cost. We wrote a detailed guide here about artificial turfs. If you want our professional installation service, let us know. This is an increasingly popular long term landscaping solution here in Victoria BC.

Rerouting Downspouts

Using solid pvc pipes, we can connect and reroute the exits of the downspouts. Remember, the water coming out of those downspouts account for all of the roof area of your residence. This is a substantial surface area of water that has to go somewhere. An extension of the downspout without rerouting the water away is only going to raise the water table, causing your lawn to look like muck.

Playground Wood Chips

Unlike typical wood chips or mulch, playground wood chips are rounded, i.e. nearly splinter free, and more resistant to compaction. They are also very child friendly. Playground wood chips are a relatively cheap and easy landscaping solution for muddy lawns.

Improved Drainage

This can be down in a variety of ways. If the water is coming from a neighbor, we can try to intercept that water using catch basins, then using solid PVC pipes, reroute the water to an optimal disposal point.

If the water table is too high due to rain fall and the soil isn’t draining fast enough, we can use a French Drain to catch sub surface water then reroute and dispose in a desirable location.

Landscaping Ideas that We Do NOT Recommend

Re-sodding the grass will be a costly and short term solution, especially if you have dogs. They will likely need to be done within a year as it will be dug up again. Re-sodding the lawn will not attack the source of the problem, which means it’s a surface bandaid that temporarily hides the issues.

Re-seeding the grass will be a fruitless exercise as well due to the same reason stated for re-sodding the lawn.

Ultimately the lawn is muddy because the water table is too high, so high that it’s above the surface in some spots. That’s it. Therefore it’s important to focus on the bringing that water table down by intercepting the water before it arrives in the yard or afterwards. The exception that is wood chips is that it effectively raises the ground level to above the water table and provides a nice surface to play on for children.

If you have muddy lawns that are unattractive and giving you a headache, feel free to contact us and we can walk you through the right landscaping solution for you.