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I have a tree which wants well-drained soil but which is planted in clay (other than the good soil that was added around / below it).

Because of where it is, it can accumulate too much water, so I put gravel in the bottom of the hole and a piece of PVC pipe with small slits around it into the gravel and extending out the surface.

I manually pumped water out of the hole using this pipe, but is anyone aware of anything like perhaps a mini solar-powered pump which can turn on periodically to help keep this drained without manual intervention? Or any other ideas?

g491
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  • Why was a tree that requires well-drained soil planted in clay? – Jurp Apr 22 '22 at 12:20
  • @Jurp because everywhere is clay unfortunately and this type of tree was what was wanted. Others nearby have had them do well so trying to ensure it's successful. Thanks – g491 Apr 22 '22 at 12:54
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    I would plant it on top of the clay. Get "good "soil to make a hill for the tree . Possibly use patio pavers to make a wall around it. – blacksmith37 Apr 22 '22 at 14:21
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    By planting your tree in a hole surrounded by clay and then adding "good dirt", you've effectively placed your tree in a flowerpot without a drainhole. Replacing native soil when planting a tree is no longer recommended. See The Arbor Day Foundation's site for more details. When I was younger and didn't know what I know now, I did the same thing with some shrubs - they drowned within three years. There is an axiom in landscaping - "right plant, right place". – Jurp Apr 22 '22 at 16:28
  • @blacksmith37 good call - yeah we elevated it for that reason – g491 Apr 22 '22 at 19:09
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    how long is the pipe? Would something that provided capillary action be enough to dry it out? I'm thinking several strands of torch wick or terry cloth strips could suck it up passively. You could terminate it with a dark wash cloth around the pipe's end that would dry in the sun+wind and thus keep the "well" drained. – dandavis Apr 29 '22 at 04:59
  • Interesting idea @dandavis. It's about 3ft long – g491 Apr 29 '22 at 12:04

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