need help with drainage problems!

[lil_sprout]

hello, i am starting a vegetable garden for the first
time this year in my backyard. I am working with s
sloped area, which I terraced into three levels each
about seven inches higher than the other. My soil is
fairly rich and maybe a little on the clay side. Last
week I planted peas, kale and onion seedlings (which i
started indoors), and also some herb and flower seeds.
Since I planted those things, we have had two heavy
rains that have caused a lot of problems. Yesterday
some of my seedlings were totally underwater! We ran
out in the rain and tried to build some channels to
divert the water away. Today I went out to assess the
damage, most of the seedlings are damaged and soggy
looking, I think many of the tiny seeds washed away as
well. Obviously a lot of erosion is happening, mud is
in places where it shouldn't be and rocks and weeds
have washed on top of the beds from somewhere else. I
need to build a drainage system immediately. I have an
idea to dig trenches out and down from the levels. I
am thinking of burying some buckets in the ground at
the lowest level to collect the water from the
trenches. I would cover the buckets when it's not
raining. Then I might even be able to use that water
when we have a dry spell. Or I could drill holes in
the buckets so the drain slowly.

Also yesterday when we were trying to do the emergency
rescue i put soda bottles with the bottoms cut off as
shelters on top of the seedlings. Wind is also a big
problem i need to deal with. Please share any advice
you can! Thank you so much!

--sarah

[Newt]

Hi Sarah,

So sorry to hear about this.* I'm not sure what to tell you but here's some sites on drainage and how to make a soakaway trench.
http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/nflash/gar...wndrainage.htm
http://www.askthebuilder.com/175_Dry...ch_Drain.shtml
http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk/howto/...d/frenchdrain/
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/rfb/rain-gardens.shtml
https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/b2c/b2...00250000000009

Newt

[lil_sprout]

hello and thanks for the reply. Last week i built a simple drainage system where i dug little trenches lined with gravel that flow down into one of three buckets that i buried in the ground and camoflauged with woodchips. It's supposed to rain tommorrow, so we'll see how it works!

--sarah

[Newt]

You are so very welcome!* I hope it works.

Newt