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Florida Gardening

concrete area on lanai with dirt inside help

16 years ago

My new courtyard home has a section where there is irrigation for plants. This area has dirt inside and the prior owner had plastic down which was really making everything too wet.

I took the heavy plastic up, but it still puddles. Apparently the rest of the concrete patio runs into this irrigated dirt area.

I can shut off the irrigation obviously, but still think it will be too wet.

Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks

Barbara

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Comments (9)

fl_southpaw
16 years ago
Hi Barbara:

Sorry, but I can only think of two options: 1. You can plant a bog garden or 2. Lighten the soil with a lot of sand and plant Florida natives. You might want to check to be sure the area does actually drain. Hopefully, it is away from your foundation.

This is an interesting problem and I look forward to hearing how you solve it. Good luck.

Julie in WPB
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
Cut off the irrigation and plant succulents, cactus, aloe, and small agaves. Fill the space with river rocks - 3 sizes - and three large boulders (one- or two-man size).
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Decide what objectives you want this area to meet, and you will be half way to a solution. Do you want it to provide some seasonal change for you to watch daily, or simply an attractive vista to visitors? Or a little of both? Do you want height or a low sweep of plants? I don't know your local conditions at all, but if this were in my zone I would choose one or two landscaping conifers that would be interesting in later years, such as a spreading hemlock cultivar (it may be too shady for junipers or a low blue spruce, which would be other options). I'd put them in their long term positions. Then I would put in various perennials to provide seasonal interest, with the understanding that these would be crowded out as the conifers grow in. The conifers could be kept pruned or trained around a couple of choice plants that do well there - a special hosta, or a hellebore, for example. If you don't know your spreading conifers, check out the conifers forum for pictures - there are usually lots. It might also be nice to put in some bulbs, tall ones that would come through spreading conifers - which would hide the dying foliage. KarinL PS If you have a photo you can post it on the gallery side and link to it here - I don't check the gallery side often and I think it gets a lot less traffic.
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This is not a "deck"--not raised with space underneath...it is concrete patio with pavers added on top of the original concrete.. and we have been in the yard--there is nothing dead there... We noticed the smell is more concentrated along the drain line cut into the concrete with a plastic slotted cover over it... I poured some vinegar in the drain at different points and let it sit for while and then ran water from the hose through it... That halped...also noticed that the people who laid the pavers did a poor job of getting the high point right so that both sides of the drain do just that--drain. One side of the drain does carry water outside the screen cage into yard but the other side apparenlty doesn't drain at all-- ran quite a bit of water into it and nothing came out into that side of the yard... My husband got some bleach today and we will try that tomorrow--so we can be sure all of the drain channel has gotten some... I am thinking it is stagnant water which isn't evaporating since the slope for the drain is not done right... and these people are worthless for fixing mistakes... we had them out twice for other problem and they just can't get it right-- should never have hired them... expensive mistake...
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J, many conifers are indeed adpated to some occasionally quite horrendous soils. It just depends. Let's see, do we know what state or area you're in? Nope. That would be helpful. Right off the top of my head-and this is roughly-speaking for eastern N. America-I'd look at elms, perhaps honeylocust, perhaps black locust (if it's not an exotic invasive species where you are), and perhaps some others. The Green Giants certainly could work in this situation. If you've got big concrete chunks with considerable soil in between, so much the better. Bricks and gravel aren't going to hurt anything, and the asphalt shouldn't either, unless there's a bunch of it. +oM
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I wouldn't configure it as a sectional, because you really lose the corner seating. It also makes it a very massive piece, which I don't think suits the space. Instead, I'd make it a sofa and chair(s). Either a 4 seater sofa with one chair in the upper right corner of your drawing, angled towards the sofa. Or a 3-seater sofa with a chair in that same corner, and another in the opposite corner. The feet of all the seating should be on the rug - that is important. Your drawing is not to scale so mine isn't either, but you get the idea. You'll have to scoot things around to see how they fit in the room best.
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olyagrove
16 years ago
If the area gets good sun, I would add more rich soil and plant Louisiana iris garden
Olya
wanna_run_faster
16 years ago
What about a small waterfall and pond? Maybe some Koi and waterplants?
beachlily z9a
16 years ago
Or what about putting a small wall around the edge of the patio using bricks (2 bricks tall would work). This would keep the water from the patio from draining into the soil and would allow you to add sand and potting soil to the area so you could plant what you want.
acoreana
16 years ago
Welcome to the forum, I hope you find it as much a resource and inspiration as I do.

My suggestion would be to get a bit of that soil up and out, and replace w/ a 1.5 to 2 inches deep of river rock. Then I would add some water loving plants as this may be the one place in your landscape you won't feel any guilt for having'em as a lot of the water will be rain run off.

My landscape's biggest water hog is my new Black Elephant Ears, and if that spot is shady in addition to moist, it might be perfect spot for them. They're gorgeous, but in my limited experience need shade & like it moist.

Best of luck, & keep us posted,

Nat
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
Nat - those black Elephant Ears want full sun for best color along with the moist soil.
acoreana
16 years ago
Thanks for the heads up fawnridge. I appreciate it!

I don't know why but they literally crisped on me in full sun...every leaf looked deep fried crispy except for a small part of one by the second day, even with all the watering I was doing. I dug them out and hightailed them over to the shade where thankfully new leaves have been sprouting and opening, and it seems like they're happy, so for now I will let them continue their recouperating and then try again in a different sunny spot.

Wish me luck :), I really like the look of this plant and would love to get it established in several spots close to the sprinkler heads, a/c drain, where ever gets a little moister naturally.
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
Nat - They last a couple of years and then it's best to yank them out, trim them back, and replant. I've got 8 or 9 varieties of Colcasia and Alocasia in the ground. They all seem to grow best in early morning or late afternoon sun.

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