Fill in the ditch with gravel around the perforated pipe up to the trench edge. Rake the gravel smooth with a bow rake. Mix the gravel with river stones, if desired, to give the filled ditch more of a dry stream appearance.

What can I use to cover a ditch?

How to Fill in a Ditch in a Backyard

  1. Line the ditch with gravel. …
  2. Wrap a perforated pipe in landscape mesh. …
  3. Place the pipe in the ditch with the perforate holes facing down. …
  4. Pour gravel over the perforated drain pipe to completely cover it, then fill in with sand to with in 2 inches of the yard surface.

What can you do with a ditch?





Build A Rock Wall. If your drainage ditch is at the end of your driveway, you might like to turn it into a feature by adding a rock wall to house the drainage pipe and contain the garden bed. Add some mulch to the garden bed above the drain and plant with landscaping plants that don’t need too much attention.

Can you fill in a ditch?

You can’t simply back-fill the ditch with soil because this could cause flooding in your and your neighbors’ yards. You can fill in the ditch with perforated pipe and gravel to create a French drain that directs water flow away from your house to a lower point in your yard or a small drainage pond.

Should I put rocks in my ditch?

Things You’ll Need

A rock-lined ditch with water flowing in it is aesthetically pleasing. Lining a ditch with rock enhances any ditch. It improves water flow through the ditch, can trap trash and sediment and can reduce erosion.

How do you make rock drainage?





To construct a rock drainage ditch, it’s essential to plan a trench path that captures water and conducts it downhill. Then, dig your trench 18 inches deep (45 cm) and 36 inches wide (90 cm). Line the trench with landscape fabric, add 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) of gravel, and top the gravel with rocks or smooth stones.

How do you lay a riprap in a ditch?

First place an anchoring row of large rocks in the trench at the toe of the bank. Riprap stones should then be hand-placed or very carefully dumped so that smaller stones fill the voids between larger ones. The riprap layer should be at least twice as thick as the average rock diameter.

Will water drain through rocks?

Water drains more quickly through gravel than it does through most types of soil, so using rocks to divert water helps mitigate standing water in landscapes and on walkways.

What drains better sand or gravel?

Gravel layers provide much better drainage than sand. A layer of medium-sized angular gravel will allow water to flow downhill. On the other hand, sand will pack solid and trap water. If you use sand instead of gravel, your ditch, driveway, or trench will flood or be destroyed by washouts.

What size gravel is best for drainage?



In general, you want to aim for ½ inch to 1-inch gravel for drainage. Areas that will see especially heavy flow may need larger gravel. Or, projects without drainage pipes may also need larger gravel. For example, a French drain without perforated pipe needs 1 ½ inch gravel.

What is the best sand for drainage?

Concrete sand is a coarse to very coarse sand with particle size ranges from 0.30 to 2.00 millimeters. It is a good choice for improving drainage in soil or installing a new septic system. Use it to improve drainage of clay soil by adding a 1 inch layer to the surface and working it in to a depth of at least 6 inches.

Can I mix sharp sand with soil?

By adding Sharp Sand to heavy, clay-based soil it can help break down the soil, creating channels for excess water to drain through. Sharp Sand is often used as a top dressing for lawns, making a cost-effective addition to any garden.

Can paver sand be used for drainage?



Soil amendments repair the soil by adding paver sand, which is much more porous than clay and, when mixed with clay soils, can improve the soil’s drainage. Amending soil is a big project to take on, since it requires a finished soil that is at least 50 percent paver sand.

Will sand soak up water?

Sand absorbs very little water because its particles are relatively large. The other components of soils such as clay, silt and organic matter are much smaller and absorb much more water. Increasing the amount of sand in the soil reduces the amount of water that can be absorbed and retained.

What absorbs the most water?

This is expected, as the tiny space between paper towel layers helps hold more water. Paper is made of cellulose, which water molecules like to cling to. As a result, paper readily absorbs water. Paper towels are especially absorbent because their cellulose fibers have empty spaces—tiny air bubbles—between them.

What absorbs water quickly?

Sodium polyacrylate



Sodium polyacrylate can absorb about 500-1000 times its weight. This is the most difference between SOCO Polymer and other traditional absorption materials. High absorbent rate. It only takes several seconds to absorb all the water.