Poor drainage in your yard is a big cause of soil loss due to erosion and moisture problems, along with mold growth inside your home. However, with the right property management and drainage improvements, you can keep your landscaping attractive and fully functioning for a great-looking property. Here are some tips to help you update your yard with good drainage to prevent over-saturation and flooding in your landscaping.

Evaluate the Problem

When you realize that your yard has drainage problems, you likely notice the issue after a heavy rainstorm or during certain seasons of the year. Some or all of your yard may be affected, but whether or not it is an all-inclusive problem to your yard you will benefit by repairing the drainage problem. Look over your yard to find out what is causing the excessive saturation so you can repair the problem.

If you have an area that is sunken in elevation in relation to the surrounding lawn, you may notice that roof drainage deposits into and remains in this area, leaving you with too much water draining into the middle of your lawn. You may also find that your neighbor's yards are higher in elevation than yours and all the surrounding properties' runoff drains into your yard as a result. This means that you will need to create a way for the water collection to drain out of your yard instead of staying in it. For instance, if your yard has the capacity to collect the water, you could build in a natural swale to hold the water while it naturally drains into the ground.

Install Drainage Improvements

There are several ways you can improve your yard's drainage. From updated roof drainage and gutter system to installation of a dry well or a French drain, you can contact a drainage professional to handle more difficult slope issues and drainage problems. 

If the drainage is collecting around your home foundation, a French drain is an option that you can install at the base of your foundation footers. This collection system will filter water into the drainage pipe and divert it to an area away from your home foundation.

There are some small improvements you can add to correct the problem. For example, add an extension onto your roof's downspouts to divert roof runoff into a gravel-covered ditch within your yard. You can also add moisture-loving plants and grasses to your yard and make the drainage system a landscaping feature.

For more information, reach out to a drainage contractor in your area, such as Morlock Landscape & Design.