Back filling drains with straw

[goodevans]

Straw will be in plentiful supply this year so will this work,we did some drains 2 years ago and they have run really well ,but broke the bales up and chucked the wads in,this time just put the bales in just at an angle so as wedged just above pipe so should not disturb it

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Won’t they just rot

 

[Northeastfarmer]

And they are very close to the surface...

 

[Matt L]

Used to use straw before stone, also seen branches uses.
Also yes, that does look very shallow to me too

 

[goodevans]

Just below ploughing depth,but the idea is as they rot the worm activity will be good and so leave the soil above the pipe very open,certainly worked well last time but haven't been back to dig it up which would be interesting.Idon't think they will rot that quick as there will be no oxygen at depth.I believe hedge brushings were used before gravel

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Just below ploughing depth,but the idea is as they rot the worm activity will be good and so leave the soil above the pipe very open,certainly worked well last time but haven't been back to dig it up which would be interesting.Idon't think they will rot that quick as there will be no oxygen at depth.I believe hedge brushings were used before gravel

Hedge clippings were defiantly used before gravel

 

[7610 super q]

The price of straw will rocket after Christmas, so you may have to dig it up again, and sell it.

 

[bobk]

Just below ploughing depth,but the idea is as they rot the worm activity will be good and so leave the soil above the pipe very open,certainly worked well last time but haven't been back to dig it up which would be interesting.Idon't think they will rot that quick as there will be no oxygen at depth.I believe hedge brushings were used before gravel

But not below subsoiler depth .... maybe you could sell the bales next year .

 

[goodevans]

Don't tend to have to subsoil too deep as knacker old stone drains and also I think the photo is a little deceiving to actual depth

 

[Wilberforce]

Many have used linseed or flax straw to good effect for this role.

 

[milkloss]

The bundles of wood used to be called faggots. Not very PC I know but some are still running here now. We have used big bale oat straw in a wet corner before, didn’t bother with a pipe or anything, just a big trench and five or six quadrants chucked in. Bit of slump but that corner isn’t wet anymore. Oat straw is the stuff to use, it’ll see me out anyway.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I did a bit of drainage for a neighbour when I had a digger a few years ago. He was bringing gravel for a while but when that ran out he just brought JCB buckets full of wood chip to back fill.

 

[goodevans]

That's another idea I've heard of ,be easy putting it in with a diet feeder

 

[Sharpy]

Bad idea! The straw on the drain works as it won't rot due to the absence of oxygen. The bales on the other hand will rot and collapse over the drain , while choking them with muck. Would probably work with 4 or 5ft of cover though .

 

[goodevans]

Hadnt thought of that so less is more,I am hoping the worm activity will help keep the pores open

 

[Sharpy]

Hadnt thought of that so less is more,I am hoping the worm activity will help keep the pores open

The worms will be busy because the wont be drowned out. Apply plenty of dung to keep them fed.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Why not just use gravel after you’ve gone to the time and expense of putting the drains in...
The drains will last 30 years

 

[GeorgeK]

I did a bit of drainage for a neighbour when I had a digger a few years ago. He was bringing gravel for a while but when that ran out he just brought JCB buckets full of wood chip to back fill.

I have wondered about bark chippings, they might lock up leeching nitrates and act as a bio filter for chemicals. Wonder if a water company would fund draining a field like this as an experiment alongside gravel drains to compare the water coming out

 

[Lincsman]

Thats going to be one big rut to cross with the sprayer next year.

 

[farmerm]

Why not just use gravel after you’ve gone to the time and expense of putting the drains in...
The drains will last 30 years

only 30 years