Keep your yard puddle-free! Here’s why it’s worth it.
As spring showers grace Maryland’s yards once again, you might have a nasty surprise showing up on your lawns: puddles. Puddles might be a delight to children and birds, but they are ultimately bad for your lawn. How bad are they really? Is it worth fixing these growing puddles? Here’s a look at the dangers of puddles in the yard and what you can do about them.
Why Are Puddles in the Yard Bad?
A Sign of Unhealthy Soil
Puddles in your yard are a symptom of unhealthy soil. Likely, it means that your yard’s soil is compacted or graded improperly. It is not loose or sloped well enough to drain the water properly. Healthy soil should be able to drain rainwater within a day or two.
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Detrimental to Grass Roots
Grass growing in waterlogged lawns will not do well. Their roots might drown in the excess water and not grow deeply due to the compacted soil. Some plants are happiest in watery environments, but grass is not one of them.
Possible Slipping Hazard
Puddles can make yards muddy and slippery, which could make your yard into a slipping hazard. Slip n’ slides are fun for kids, but you don’t want muddy slip n’ slides developing in your backyard.
Breeding Ground for Diseases and Mosquitoes
Puddles that last for several days after the rainfall are standing water. Standing, stagnant water is NOT what you want in your yard. It’s a breeding ground for diseases, mosquitoes, and other insect larvae and can become a hazard to your health.
Potential for Flooding
If a rain shower makes puddles form in your lawn, what would happen if the rain lasted for days? How much bigger would it get? Would it reach your home’s foundation or your fence’s base? If puddles are forming around your fence, deck, or house, the floodwater could damage the foundations.
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Simply Impractical and Ugly
Wet, swampy yards are simply impossible to use. Kids can’t play soccer, and you can’t walk across it. No beautiful, functional lawn is dotted with mud puddles.
How to Fix Puddles in the Yard
The solution for your yard puddles depends on what is causing it. Regrading the land, installing a French drain, and planting rain gardens are just a few options. You can read more about what you could do here. The Landscape Design Center is happy to help your yard be puddle-free.
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