TIL a simple 5-gallon bucket can solve my drainage problem for $12

So I was at the hardware store last Saturday in Austin picking up more gravel for the 4th time this month, and I overheard this old guy telling the cashier he fixed his soggy backyard with a 5-gallon bucket full of holes buried in the ground. I thought he was nuts, but he swore it worked for his clay soil after 3 years of standing water. I went home, drilled 20 holes in a bucket I already had, buried it near my lowest spot, and filled it with rocks. After a heavy rain last night, I checked and the water actually drained away in under 2 hours instead of sitting for days. Has anyone else tried this cheap fix or am I gonna mess up something long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennifer96513d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, are you saying you just filled it with rocks and buried it? Tbh that's not quite how these dry wells work. You're supposed to wrap the bucket in landscape fabric before you backfill, otherwise over time dirt and silt will get into those rocks and clog all those holes you drilled. I've seen a few people try this around here in central Texas with our heavy clay, and after about 6 months the water stops draining because the holes get plugged up with mud. Honestly, you want to use a proper gravel backfill around the bucket too, not just fill the bucket itself with rocks. Ngl, the basic idea is solid for $12 but you might have to dig it back up and redo it with fabric if it stops working later.

torres.sage12d ago

Wait, isn't the landscape fabric usually put around the outside of the bucket against the native soil, not just wrapped around the bucket? I thought the whole point was to keep silt out of the gravel backfill too, not just the bucket holes.