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Gardening & Landscaping

Mud, mud, wet leaves and mud. How to tame a steep wet woodland?

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.34 PM

We have just moved and now our 'garden' is a very steep woodland, which is extremely wet and waterlogged. How can I approach making safe paths or planting something that will help dry the soil? Wherever you wall on the hillside the thick fallen leaves conceal the slickest mud you can imagine. It's like the kind of mud you see potters throwing on their wheels. Your boots just dig bights out of the ground with every step and this can tip you down the slope. It's genuinely dangerous as it is. Can't stop the rain - this is Wales! We've not had a day without some degree of precipitation since we moved here a couple of months back. And at the bottom of our hill is the river, and that land is so wet you sink into it at every step. It's like walking through a wet duvet. Apart from our becoming rice growers, any suggestions?

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2 Answers

Anonymous user

Firstly, what do you want to do with it? What is your long term goal? It would probably help to remove any dead or unwell trees to help the others flourish which will help dry the ground out. Willows are good for drying the ground out too. You could spend time making channels for the water that runs off the ground so that it goes where you want rather than where you don't. More serious drainage can also be accomplished if necessary by digging trenches, putting some gravel/stones in the bottom and filling back over. Making steps is easiest done by knocking in 2' posts into the ground and putting a plank across them and filling behind with stones. This helps by letting the rain pass through them but giving you a firm and stable step. It is also less likely to ice up. If you are in Mid to South Wales let me know and I can come and advise better in person.

Answered21 January 2018

The Green Revival

Rating: 5 out of 5

Forres

You could try charcoal waste on paths. Maybe a long shot to source as you would need to enquire with a local, traditional charcoal maker. However, I know a chap who uses it in a woodland he manages at Grange-Over-Sands and it seems to help a lot. Aids traction whilst absorbing a lot of water. Tim

Answered5 August 2020