Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
frugalfarmer

Need drought-resistant big drinkers for bottom of hill

FrugalFarmer
19 years ago

Hallo all,

Our home is on a plateau dug out of a hill. A swale along the bottom of the hill directs the surface water to a run-off ditch. There seems to be a lot of deep water, though, and the pressure is threatening our basement wall. We're going to repair the wall but I'd like to take some preventive measures on the outside. We already have a huge maple that sucks water but I'd like to plant a row of deep-root somethings along the swale line that'll suck up the deep water yet is resistant to drought. Any ideas?

Comments (6)

  • gardenlen
    19 years ago

    g'day frugalfarmer,

    we pushed out a plateau/building site out of the slope of a hill to build our place, now having said that we don't have a basement, but then we don't have any water backing or building up either.

    now the way i see it as you said it you have a channel (for me swales don't direct water they hold it so it soaks in) that runs into a ditch (to me that is something like a hole in the ground or such).

    now having said that the wall that we created when we pushed up our building site is around 3 meters high, so if i had a channel and a ditch it could in no way interfere with the foundations or if i had one a cellar or basement.

    to me it would seem you have water coming from another source, and the builder should have planned in a french type drain along the outside of your basement walls (underground i would guess) and this drain should have been designed to take any water away that may want to builds up on the outside of your basement wall.

    so to me the only real long term almost permanent solution is dig down along the wall to the depth of the foundations and put in the french drainage system so that it feeds that water away from your house foundations and your basement wall.

    len

    mail len

    lens garden page

  • BelgianPupWA
    19 years ago

    Try contacting your local Cooperative Extension Service (usually in the white pages of your phone book) and ask what would be good. Some fast-growing trees suitable to your area might be best.

    'Pup

  • joel_bc
    19 years ago

    Hi. Len's advice may be the most appropriate, but since I'm not there to look at your situation, I can't offer much opinion on that.

    I'm in zone 6, and again I'm not certain about your zone-5 situation as regards appropriate plants. But I'll mention the willow family as fast growing, water-loving and water-absorbing. As you probably know, there are many varieties of willow. I planted a weeping willow, and it will one day be very large -- so one has to take this into consideration with w.w. But, around here, there are also wild varieties growing in low-lying, semi-boggy fields. They are shrub varieties with many, many stems per plant. Most are growing four to seven feet in height -- they do not become grand and towering like w.w. All willows that I know of are relatively easily transplanted (when they are small) and easy to grow, and are noted for fast development.

    Joel

  • alexander3_gw
    19 years ago

    Bald Cypress is tolerant of drought and flooding. They are tough, fast growing, good looking trees.

    Alex

  • christeen
    19 years ago

    Willow trees drink lots of water, plant some away from the foundation and watch them go

  • joepyeweed
    19 years ago

    i know exactly what you are looking for and it is is Prairie Cord Grass (spartina pectinata) its a beautiful tall (6' to 9') native grass that likes to have its feet weet. It has huge root system, massive fibrous roots that go down 10' or more - it extensive root system absorbs water enabling it to withstand drought if necessary. it is adapted to the prairie and is native to iowa.

    when planting prairie grasses its usually recommended to mix the grasses for better resistance and diversity - so i would mix in Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and Fowl Manna Grass (Glyceria striata) - these grasses are deep rooted and drought tolerant but do like moist soils...

    you may want to contact Ion Exchange nursery - its in Harpers Ferry, Iowa

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ion Exchange Native Plant Nursery

Sponsored
Landscape Concepts of Fairfax, Inc.
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars17 Reviews
Northern VA's Creative Team of Landscape Designers & Horticulturists