A Horrible Muddy Problem!!

1. 81

   Seeker7posted 12 years ago

   I have quite a bad problem with my back green/lawn being a mud pit. I can't afford to do anything with it until the spring time, but is there anything I can do as a temporary measure to cover the muddy areas up? I'm not fussed about the grass dying off as I need to get rid of it anyway. With all the heavy rain we now have, the grass is just not a good option anymore.
   
   Any suggestions are very welcome!

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2. 59

   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   How many square feet (or meters) are we talking about? And the shape?

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      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It's basically square in shape. I'm not very good about estimating meters but I would reckon about 6 or 7 meters. We have a boundary of rose bushes and fir trees. But as I said the grass is just a wasteland.

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3. 63

   Greek Oneposted 12 years ago

   Why not turn a negative into a positive and open up a Mud Wrestling League?
   
   

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   1. 81

      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      LMAO!!! I hadn't thought about that - maybe I could charge an entry fee and make money out it? I'd be as well as I'm not making much on HP at the  moment!!

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4. 66

   theherbivorehippiposted 12 years ago

   I just laid a bunch of mulch down in an area of my lawn that is low. It doesn't help that the dogs run the fence line back there nonstop with the other person's dog is out so the ground gets seriously abused and it has turned into a swamp/mud pit. I laid mulch and I'll deal with it in the spring. It's better than long-haired muddy dogs.

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      Pearldiverposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      WOW... You are Really Lucky that you don't have Elephants!
      
      Although you wouldn't need to buy mulch in!

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      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      theherbivorehippi - that's one of the problems I have. The dogs have basically the full use of the green at the back - and basically they almost need a bath everytime they come in!! I hadn't thought about mulch, that might just work!

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5. 68

   davenmidtownposted 12 years ago

   sawdust, shredded paper, wood chips (not redwood), compost, etc can all be added to muddy areas.  The goal would be to add something in that will break down as the lawn fills in.  Along the fence where the dogs run, replace the lawn with pea gravel... this will keep the damage from the dogs at a minimum and keep their feet cleaner next year.   THis plan helps to amend the soil at the same time...

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      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      many thanks davenmidtown,
      
      I hadn't thought about any of these suggestions. Great answer and advice. Many thanks!!

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      1. 68

         davenmidtownposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         You are welcome... If one must labor... find a way to make the task a reward and benefit the problem you will face next spring... Any of these suggestions can be carried out in small segments as time allows.

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6. 0

   Home Girlposted 12 years ago

   If it happens every year - sand or gravel can be put permanently or may be even this
   

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   1. 81

      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Home Girl - the suggestions I have received from everyone has been a great help! Thank you!

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7. 82

   S G Huppposted 12 years ago

   We also laid down mulch thinking that it would be a relatively inexpensive temporary fix but it worked so well that we've made it permanent. We keep the mulch in the places that the dogs walk through on their way back into the house and then we've been adding small river rock to their actual pathways (like where they run the fence to say hello to the neighbors dogs).

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   somedress2011posted 12 years ago

   thank you, nice post.helpful

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9. 76

   Zabbellaposted 12 years ago

   Gravel works.  we have an area that is muddy and as a temp solution, we put stones and gravel.

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      Seeker7posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for all these excellent ideas - especially the ones that would be good for the dogs as well. I have a lot of planning and work ahead, but it will be worth it to get rid of all the mud!!!

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10. 61

    kidsnchocolateposted 12 years ago

    Try throwing sand down on it. We have an area where the water flows down from the neighbors to our yard and makes me very angry. Until we dug it up and put a drainage hose in, we used sand and even through the ash over it from our charcoal grill. These things helped soak up a lot of the moisture. Eventually we dug it up and layed a drainage hose in and through to the hill on the other side of the house. We covered this with gravel and sad, before covering it back up with dirt and grass. It was not very expensive but the shoveling was pretty tiresome. All in all, it works!!

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