New builds have a reputation for terrible, waterlogged gardens and when we moved into ours in 2024, it looked like ours would be no different. The clay soil was heavily compacted: rain would fill the surface, and every time we dug deep, we would very quickly hit pockets of water that had accumulated like underground puddles. What’s more, there was no life in the soil—no worms, no bugs, no spiders, nothing.
As an avid gardener, I realized that if I wanted to bring my own New build garden ideas For life, I will need Improving drainage in my clay soil.
What did I do to stop the waterlogging of the ground?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
My first port of call was to do research How to Improve Clay Soil for Gardening. I quickly realized that I desperately needed to add some organic matter For clay.
‘The easiest way to improve clay soil for gardening is to incorporate bulk organic matter such as compost or farmyard manure as well as some sand and grit,’ advises Julien Palframond, Head of Plant. British Garden Centres. ‘This will improve soil fertility, aeration, drainage and moisture retention.’
However, it only opens the question of using it. I wanted something that was effective, durable and also Budget-friendly.
This led me to the discovery of mushroom compost. We moved into our new house in May, and by the third week of June, I had received the receipt of about 1000 liters of mushroom compost, which, I hoped, would solve my waterlogged soil problems. This Mushroom fertilizer from B&Q is the same.
Why mushroom compost?
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Mushroom compost is not made from mushrooms, but is actually a by-product of the mushroom growing industry – usually a mixture of straw, hay and poultry or horse manure.
When dug into the bed and edging, its fibrous nature makes it ideal for breaking up heavy soil and increasing soil aeration as well as adding nutrients back into the soil. ‘Mushroom compost is particularly useful, as it contains no weed seeds. Mulching brings many benefits, including adding nutrients, protecting plants from frost, reducing frost. weedand improves the soil’s ability to retain moisture during dry periods,’ says David Glass, head gardener Bowood House and Gardens.
However, it’s important to make sure it’s peat-free – like this one Gardenscapes UK – As some do not.
How did I use it?
(Image credit: Future plc/Le Clape Photography)
If I was following Best practices for mulchingI should probably wait until fall – the soil will definitely be more workable and less concrete-like. However, I had plant pots that needed to go into the ground, and I was sick of looking at them. A weedy garden.
Over the next week, we started using garden forks – we used them Kent and Stove are available from Amazon – Digging in the mulch and breaking up the soil. It is recommended that you use a 75mm layer for very poor soils or a 50mm layer for general soil improvement.
Did it work?
Undoubtedly! After digging in the mushroom compost, we’ve never had problems with pooling or waterlogging, and the soil is free of insects, worms and Wildlife.
It has also had a positive effect on our plants. our The rose blooms (They’ve tripled in size since we planted them a few years ago and we’ve grown three very healthy ones too Lavender plantwhich would normally struggle to thrive in clay soils.
maintenance
(Image credit: Future plc)
Once our plant was established, I top dressed the garden Bark mulch – like this one from B&Q. This was primarily an aesthetic decision and Helped prevent weeds in my garden. However, over the past two years, it has begun to degrade in the soil, further improving its nutrient levels and consistency.
Contrast between the back garden, where the soil is very efficient, and The front garden (which we have not treated anywhere near as extensively) is a testament to the success of mushroom compost. Recently, we had to wait a few rainy days before we could plant in our front border, as the soil was impermeable after a few dry days – this was not a problem in our back garden.
Waterlogging problem is not so much The front gardenBecause the soil is very shallow, we worked a small amount of mulch into any very compacted soil areas we identified. However, in the back garden, amending the soil to ensure I wasn’t fighting waterlogged garden beds after every heavy rain was a game-changer.
B&Q
Ward stand and downpipe connector, 210L basic water butt
If you don’t have time to improve your soil, a water butt can be a smart solution to channel any excess water runoff and store it for use during a heatwave.
B&Q
Rapid dam water active black flood barrier
If you are having significant drainage or flooding problems in your garden or around your garage, a floor barrier can be a great solution to help channel water away from vulnerable areas.
