Re: [gardeners] Rocks

George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 22 May 1998 07:19:09 

At 11:06 PM 5/21/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Well, George, I was thinking about how you would tackle our
>current aggravation 'cause you always seem to keep your head 
>clear in a gale force wind -- 45 years ago when the entire
>neighborhood moved in together, our one neighbor put in a 
>dividing berm between us of mixed evergreen trees (which
>are today about 60 ft tall).  Fifteen years ago we added azaleas,
>rhodies, hollies, cotoneasters and such on our side of the
>slope. These shrubs should have the perfect drainage, since
>our property is much higher in front than the back, and they
>are all planted coming off the berm. Not so, unfortunately, 
>for there is visible water seepage half way down the hillside.
>We are the highest elevation in town, and the Town Board 
>knows of no natural underground stream in the area. 

Do I remember you telling us you had an unusually wet year last fall and
this spring? You may have a temporary spring and associated runoff due to
high ground saturation. Particularly with the berm there and if you are on
the lower end of a slope. Some springs are seasonal, only showing up in
"good" years when there was lots of rain or snow. Could be the answer.

>
>We've popped the azaleas near the seepage, and did find a
>strange high water table underneath. Kept losing plants, so
>I dumped coarse gravel in the hole, and replanted the azaleas
>rather high, and last year everything survived and thrived! 
>Now here we are in late spring again, and the water is showing 
>thru on the surface once again. There's a string of those 60 ft tall 
>white pines just 4 ft above this area, and I cannot very well tunnel 
>under them to trace the water further back. 

The tone of your message sounds as though you might suspect your neighbor
of being the cause of the excess water. Have you spoken to them to see if
they have a problem too?

>
>Could you follow my description...? And just what would you 
>decide to try now...? [Moving to Louisiana or South Dakota is
>not a fair answer....] 
>
>Penny, NY
>
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Well, moving souf' is always an option for those poor unfortunates who live
in the no'th.

George