 |
03/02/07, 10:47 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Central Oregon
Posts: 423
|
|
|
Leach field for septic system question
Would it be o.k. to put raised garden beds and some pea gravel on the spot where my leach field is? We don't have a lot of acreage and this is the perfect spot for our raised beds. Close to the house, level, full sun, and close to sprinkler. Didn't know if it would be a problem though. Thanks!
|
03/02/07, 11:42 PM
|
 |
Nohoa Homestead
|
|
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SW Missouri near Branson (Cape Fair)
Posts: 5,398
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by farm mom
Would it be o.k. to put raised garden beds and some pea gravel on the spot where my leach field is? We don't have a lot of acreage and this is the perfect spot for our raised beds. Close to the house, level, full sun, and close to sprinkler. Didn't know if it would be a problem though. Thanks!
|
Presumably the effluent goes down into the soil below it, so I don't think you will have a problem there. Just remember that you might have to dig it up for maintenance so don't put anything over it like concrete that would be a problem.
I'll be having a raised bed over mine. I have never read anything saying there is any danger of this, even with root vegetables like carrots and turnips and such.
donsgal
__________________
Life is what happens while you are making other plans. (John Lennon)
|
03/03/07, 05:57 AM
|
 |
Gimme a YAAAAY!
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NC Arkansas
Posts: 5,327
|
|
I wouldn't, but that's just me. Especially not root veggies.
But, apparently it's not all bad. Here's a link to assist your in your research:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/en.../aug93pr2.html
__________________
Before you marry someone, ask yourself, "Will they be a good killing partner during the zombie apocalypse?"
-someecards.com
|
03/03/07, 07:16 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,692
|
|
|
As long as you dont put un-natural crap into your septic shouldnt be a problem. Use lot cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, etc and I wouldnt do it, but those things arent good for septic anyhow. I've actually seen people put motor oil down their drain and I knew they had a septic. Never knew how clueless people can be till I saw that. The out of sight, out of mind attitudes will cost you big time in the long run. This kind of stupidity just encourages the control freak govts to pump out some more regulations and hoops to jump through.
__________________
"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy
"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman
|
03/03/07, 08:39 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Zone 5a, NE Ohio, USA
Posts: 712
|
|
|
We just bought our farm last year and were told to never dig in drain field or build over it.
|
03/03/07, 09:54 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Central Oregon
Posts: 423
|
|
|
Thank you! EasyDay that article was very helpful.
|
03/03/07, 02:54 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ohio
Posts: 222
|
|
|
Our septic installer and the county health department all say not to put any more dirt over the top of the septic field. the depth at which the lines are buried is important for evaporation and drainage.
|
03/03/07, 03:18 PM
|
 |
Fair to adequate Mod
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
Posts: 13,721
|
|
|
Oxygen is needed by the microbes in a septic drainfield to decompose and convert the minute amounts of organic matter that is carried to the drainfield with the wastewater. The deeper a drainfield is, the longer it takes for oxygen to transfer thru the soil. Because of this, the maximum depth for a drainfield (in Minnesota) is 48". With that said, the addition of soil to the top of your leachfield is going to slow down oxygen transfer. If oxygen transfer is insufficient, the organic matter in the drainfield will build up and eventually it will result in plugging the entire system.
Another reason for not placing any type of garden over the drainfield is that often soils have a difficult enough time percolating the wastewater from the home. Gardeners are tempted to water their gardens....sometimes over-water their gardens....which just adds to the load that the soil has to deal with.
The issue with a garden over a drainfield has nothing to do with pathogens and chemicals. The issue is with the possibility of reducing the functionality of your drainfield. A garden is a bad idea.
__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....
|
03/03/07, 04:19 PM
|
 |
Enabler!
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: CO
Posts: 3,865
|
|
|
I was told when mine was put in, never to drive on it nor plant on it.
One guy said the ammonia from the leech field will make it's way into your vegetables. Plus if you plant anything really long rooted it will get in there and break it. I was told to just leave that area alone.
|
03/03/07, 04:25 PM
|
|
Gimme a YAAAAY!
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NC Arkansas
Posts: 5,327
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Cabin Fever
Oxygen is needed by the microbes in a septic drainfield to decompose and convert the minute amounts of organic matter that is carried to the drainfield with the wastewater. The deeper a drainfield is, the longer it takes for oxygen to transfer thru the soil. Because of this, the maximum depth for a drainfield (in Minnesota) is 48". With that said, the addition of soil to the top of your leachfield is going to slow down oxygen transfer. If oxygen transfer is insufficient, the organic matter in the drainfield will build up and eventually it will result in plugging the entire system.
Another reason for not placing any type of garden over the drainfield is that often soils have a difficult enough time percolating the wastewater from the home. Gardeners are tempted to water their gardens....sometimes over-water their gardens....which just adds to the load that the soil has to deal with.
The issue with a garden over a drainfield has nothing to do with pathogens and chemicals. The issue is with the possibility of reducing the functionality of your drainfield. A garden is a bad idea.
|
I suppose some deep-rooted plants may end up plugging the leach holes, as well.
Edited to add: Sorry, Thaiblue, that's me... day late/dollar short! 
__________________
Before you marry someone, ask yourself, "Will they be a good killing partner during the zombie apocalypse?"
-someecards.com
|
03/03/07, 11:30 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Central Oregon
Posts: 423
|
|
|
Thanks everyone! We decided to put the garden beds somewhere else. I may put some drought resistant wildflowers there. All are very shallow roots, mostly annuals, that need very little water. Our leach field is right in our front yard as you come up the driveway and is covered in waist high weeds in the summer. (We live in the high desert where NOTHING grows without water and this section does not get any water.)
|
03/04/07, 10:32 AM
|
|
Fair to adequate Mod
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
Posts: 13,721
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by farm mom
....I may put some drought resistant wildflowers there.....
|
Excellent idea! That is exactly what we did. Here is a photo of WIHH standing on the top of our drainfield.
__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....
|
03/04/07, 06:21 PM
|
 |
zone 5 - riverfrontage
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Forests of maine
Posts: 5,867
|
|
nice babe 
|
03/04/07, 08:01 PM
|
|
Fair to adequate Mod
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
Posts: 13,721
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ET1 SS
nice babe |
....don't I know!.....
__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....
|
03/04/07, 08:49 PM
|
 |
Country Girl
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,057
|
|
|
I have had a raised bed over a section of mine for years. It is made of native stone and is about 6 ft wide and 25 ft. long. It's been more decorative than anything because I had goats in that area but the last one has gone on to goat heaven last summer so I am going to put some vining plants in it this year, like pumpkins, cucumers etc. The first layer (it is tiered) is about 16 inches tall off the leach lines.
__________________
Eternal Optimist
|
03/06/07, 12:04 PM
|
|
Baroness of TisaWee Farm
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: flatlands of Ohio - sigh
Posts: 1,963
|
|
|
I, too, just put in a leachfield last year and was told not to put anything on top of it..... it has a hard enough time drying out without adding anything else....especially water!!
I just planted it all to wildflowers that only grow to knee-high. Figure they'll look good, won't have to mow. (Gosh....wildflower seed is expensive! $100 to do my 1 acre!) My leachfield is my "front yard", too. Couldn't see wasting the backyard to that! Funny how priorities change!
|
03/07/07, 11:33 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MN
Posts: 7,609
|
|
|
Did you get your wildflower seed from Albert Lea Seed house? Real popular place for 'off the beaten path' seeds here in the south. Or do you have a nice place up there for such things?
I'd not put anything on a leach field but grass - or a shallow root native as you have. Just too much invested in a septic system, too much $$$ to correct problems, and just too icky in my head to harvest garden crops from a bed.....
--->Paul
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:28 AM.
|
|
