The Haldimand Soil & Crop Improvement Association, and Land Improvement Contractors of Ontario (LICO) recently hosted Haldimand Drainage Day in Fisherville, Ontario. As LICO members, we were thrilled to join the event and continue learning about Ontario’s farm drainage. The event consisted of four sessions throughout the afternoon, and was hosted by industry experts.
Session 1: The History of Drainage + Installation Demonstration
Session 2: How to Drain Heavy Clay Soil
Session 3: Resources to Help Plan Your Farm Drainage
Session 4: Managing Drainage Outlets
In this blog we’ll be focusing on the methods of draining heavy clay soil, what the locals refer to as ‘haldimand clay’. If you’d like to learn more about the other sessions, simply click the links above.
Haldimand Clay has a reputation of being extremely compact with a high water table and virtually non-existent drainage rate. Clay soil like this can impact your soil quality and your crop yield. The compaction and water retention of this soil increases the value that proper drainage can offer, as it can help to introduce oxygen deeper into the soil. Most plants will only grow roots where they can access oxygen. By getting oxygen deeper into your soil, your plants can establish a better route system. This creates a healthier and more nutrient rich soil for the future.
There are three primary ways to get oxygen into heavy clay soils.
1. When you deep rip the soil to install drainage tile, you break up the compaction above the tile and create crevices for the drainage to occur. The tile itself will greatly increase the soil drainage rate, which can be improved if you help the water move horizontally towards your drainage tile lines.
2. Natural weather cycles can create benefits for your clay soil. Frost creates horizontal fractures beneath the soil, which can help to create a subsurface drainage channel to move water laterally towards your drainage tile. Drought creates vertical fractures which can help to clear surface level water by creating crevices.
3. Cover-cropping and planting native species with fibrous roots or deep tap roots helps to create organic channels that provide nutrients, oxygen, and drainage to the soil. When the crops die, their roots are able to decompose into the soil, giving back nutrients and creating hollow channels where water and oxygen can flow.
The combination of drainage tile, cover cropping, and understanding the impact weather has on your soil can help you navigate the heavy clay areas we have in Haldimand, Niagara, and beyond.
If you have any questions about how subdrain can work for your needs, please reach out to our team by phone or email at any time. You can also explore the other things we learned at drainage day here:
Session 1: The History of Drainage + Installation Demonstration
Session 2: How to Drain Heavy Clay Soil
Session 3: Resources to Help Plan Your Farm Drainage
Session 4: Managing Drainage Outlets
