Biodrainage Explained: A Complete Guide to Natural Water Management for Wet Yards and High Water Tables.
What Is Biodrainage? Natural Drainage System.
Biodrainage Works Better Than Traditional Drains.
Living plants remove water rather than simply redirecting it.
Drainage systems like French drains and pipes merely move water from one part of a site to another; the water remains on the property and accumulates in a single location. Bio-drainage removes water from the soil and releases it into the atmosphere.
Why do some trees work better than others?
It all comes down to the principles of how biodrainage works. Trees differ in more than just bark color or the shape of their seeds and leaves. Some trees naturally consume large amounts of moisture, making them ideal for biodrainage. Let’s figure out how to identify them.
A tree must not only drink water but also actively evaporate it. It does this through its leaves—which is why the air in a forest feels fresher and easier to breathe than on a city street. Consequently, the size of the crown and the total leaf surface area matter greatly. More leaves mean the tree sends more water into the sky, leaving less on your land. A voluminous crown speeds up soil drying after rain.
Light is equally important for effective transpiration. The more sunlight hits a leaf, the more it heats up, prompting the tree to evaporate water more actively to cool itself down. When planting a biodrainage group, make sure that other, more massive—but less efficient—trees don't cast shade on your water-guzzler.
Wait a minute. What about "bigger is better"?
Here’s a crucial nuance: the tree has to love water.
A "pump tree" dies without water, which is why, in nature, it grows along the banks of bodies of water. Not all plants love water; cacti, for instance, perish in damp soil. That’s just how they’re built. But our "hard workers" cry out: "Hey, it’s too dry here! I can't live here!" Know the type?
