Advantages of a drained soil

Why do we need a drained soil?

Water is essential for plant development, it is the main engine of growth. But to paraphrase Paracelsus, "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; Only the dose makes a thing not a poison". When there is an excess of water it may no longer be such good news. Drainage is the solution to times of excess water. Soils that are frequently saturated do not allow for proper drainage. root development as the roots are not oxygenated. In addition, poorly draining soils do not allow salts to be adequately washed away, which aggravates the problems.

In order to avoid saturation and salinity problems, drainage engineering has been intensively developed.

The most sensitive points when planning adequate drainage are low areas where water can accumulate and areas with obstacles to water movement such as rocks or buildings. In the surface area, it is important to always try to maintain slight slopes to facilitate the pumping of water into natural or artificial channels. Slopes of less than 1% are usually sufficient to allow water to flow into escape channels.

Generally surface drainage is not sufficient and needs to be supported by underground drainage, buried half a metre or more. This drainage consists of trench channels filled with drainage pipes and sand that are designed according to the contour lines of the ground. Depending on the drainage needs, these trenches are usually distributed with a spacing of 3 to 20 metres. The drainage pipe is not essential, sometimes it is sufficient to prepare a trench filled with gravel and sand. The most important thing is to follow lines perpendicular to the contour lines and provide an outlet for the water, directing it to a channel that does not disturb the development of the activity on that surface.

To find out if your soil has drainage problems, apart from the evidence that when it rains it does not infiltrate enough water, there are tools such as penetrometers that can help you to see if your soil is too compacted and control its situation by carrying out simple tasks such as pricking or encouraging you to organise the drainage of the area.

Analogue Soil Compaction Meter

FieldScout SC-900 Digital Penetrometer