Hey, NoCo, it’s time to start thinking about landscaping for the spring. The weather is warming up, we’re seeing more of the sun, and the days are getting longer. These things are signs that spring is here, which means so is gardening season. But did you know that owning a septic system can complicate your spring landscaping? Landscaping, gardening, and general lawn care can affect your septic system if it’s not with proper caution in mind. Let’s look at how you can make your home beautiful while also keeping your septic system safe.
General Lawn Care Tips
You probably do a lot of general lawn care. But we want to share a couple of reminders and tips to help ensure that your septic stays safe in the whole process. Be careful when mowing or trimming around your septic tank, especially if you have a riser. The blades on these tools could cause damage to the riser lid or riser. Another tip to remember is that your drain field is a sensitive part of your septic system. The drain field is where all of the water waste enters back into the ground. This large field is not a place for landscaping, ponds, heavy cars, or other disturbances. Another tip is to avoid using too much fertilizer or weed killer near your septic tank. These can get into the tank and cause an imbalance that will leave your tank out of order.
What can you plant?
We’re not trying to tell you that you can’t plant anything in your yard because of your septic system. This, of course, isn’t the case. We just want to remind you that being mindful is vital when landscaping your home. Putting large rooted plants or plants requiring high water volume near your septic isn’t good. The roots on large plants have the potential to grow into your septic pipes, causing breaks and clogs. Plants that require high water volume won’t do well either because they won’t be able to receive the water intake they need. Your septic shouldn’t deal with an influx in water not related to typical usage. This can cause flooding and overflow. Try shallow-rooted plants if you’re looking to plant things around your septic tank or pipes. Things like mosses, ground ivy, grasses, and ferns won’t disturb your septic system but will keep the ground in place should there be heavy rain. You should also be mindful of where you dig during landscaping.
What about growing a garden?
Our major tip is not to plant the garden in the drain field. Our second major recommendation is to ensure that any water runoff is directed away from the septic tank and drain field. This is a reminder that this excess water can cause overflow to the system, especially if you’re watering large gardens or flower beds.
We hope that these tips help you when gardening and landscaping this spring! Lion Home Service understands how important it is to have a home that you love and are proud of. We encourage you to garden away as long as you are mindful of your septic system during the process. If you have any questions about your septic system and how it can be affected this spring, just call our experts. Lion Septic is there to serve you and your needs 24/7. Just call (970) 829-8222 today!
