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How to Fix a Muddy Side Yard in Texas

Everything really is bigger in Texas, including the average home size. Now place these large homes right next to each other inside of a planned community, and what you have is many narrow, shady side yard areas where water tends to collect between homes. Since moving the home isn’t an option, we have made a variety of landscaping recommendations below, each aimed at how to fix a muddy side yard in Texas.

Install a French Drain

A French drain is a flexible and wide drainage pipe with holes punctured throughout the line. When installed properly with a surrounding layer of aggregate and geotextile fabric to filter out debris, the French drain installation can dry up your side yard. It works by creating a void underground with the combination of aggregate and drain pipe. Any water in the area surrounding the drain will be collected in the line and can be directed somewhere else. Essentially, a French drain system can collect water all along your side yard and direct it out to the very front or back of your property, where it can be deposited in the street.

Add Hardscaping

If you aren’t able to remove the water contributing to your muddy side yard, you can still prevent it from becoming a soggy mess and causing further soil erosion by adding hardscaping. Exposed soil will erode, but if you install an aggregate over a damp area, you can build it up, slow the water down, and even direct the water somewhere else. Examples of hardscaping solutions to a muddy side yard could include something simple like a rock bed or a bit more constructed and functional, such as a stepping stone gravel walkway. If your budget allows, paver pathways are also excellent options to work around a wet side yard and make it usable.

Correct Yard Grading

Yard grading is done by shaping the soil around your home. When properly graded, the terrain around your home should ensure that water is always flowing away from the foundation. Along the sides of your home specifically, the grading should be sloped down towards the corresponding property line. The grading along your side yard area could appear very steep or gradual, depending on the width of the area. Either way, proper grading in a side yard area should direct water to your property line. If you see water pooling or collecting in other areas of your lawn, you should consider correcting the grade in this area.

Bury Gutter Downspouts

One of the biggest contributors to a soggy side yard is your gutter and downspout system. In a side yard area, most homes will have 2 to 4 gutter downspouts installed. During a rainstorm, these downspouts from both you and your neighbor will pour a steady stream of water from the roof directly into the side yard. If this area stays muddy for a while after each rain, you should consider burying the downspouts and direct water out of the side yard. A flexible drainage pipe can be attached to each of your downspouts. This line would be buried underground and connected to a common line, which will direct water to a more appropriate place, eliminating a good portion of the water in your side yard.

Adjust Irrigation Watering

If you have noticed that your side yard area is frequently wet and there have been no rainstorms, you should look into your lawn watering. Check your irrigation panel to ensure that you have an appropriate watering schedule in place. If you share a narrow side yard with a neighbor, you might also ask them to check their irrigation watering as well.

Check for Water Leaks

Water will always be the culprit in a muddy side yard, so you should ensure there are no water leaks. Signs of a water leak would include water pooling in certain areas or a noticeable lack of water pressure in your home or in your irrigation system. If you notice any sign of a water leak, contact a plumber for any potential water leak in the pipes running to your home or an irrigation specialist for any leak within your sprinkler system.

Install Shade-Tolerant Grass

Side yard areas tend to be shady spots. Because these areas are narrow, they will receive fewer hours of sunlight, making it challenging to grow grass. If grass isn’t growing here, it will die and expose the soil underneath. Once the soil is exposed in your side yard, any water coming into this area will create a muddy mess and further erode the soil. A simple solution might be to install a more shade-tolerant grass in your side yard area. Try planting Zoysia grass or St. Augustine grass. Both of these warm-season grasses provide more shade tolerance than other sod varieties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Texas Lawn Not Draining Water?

Texas has shrink-swell clay soils, which offer very poor drainage. This type of soil becomes quickly saturated and drains slowly, causing excess water to pool on the surface.

What Can I Add to Soil That is Too Wet?

You can add coarse materials that have air pockets, like sand and organic matter.

Who to Call for Standing Water in Lawn?

You should contact a landscaping company when you have standing water in your lawn. A landscaping company should be able to offer you a variety of solutions to your problem, including yard drainage correction, irrigation modifications, hardscape installation, and laying new sod.