Your septic system doesn’t have to stick out like a sore thumb, a little bit of simple landscaping will allow your system to blend into the rest of your lawn. A well designed landscape plan with the appropriate plant cover will help the system become part of the overall landscape and benefit the system as well. Proper vegetation cover prevents soil erosion, provides insulation, protects the system from freezing and ensures your on-site septic system will continue to work properly. Remember that structures such as patios, tool sheds or deck should not be constructed on your septic system as they will compact the soil, could potentially damage your system and limit access for pump-outs and repairs. What to plant?
When deciding what to plant over your system, remember that deep rooted plants can clog and harm the pipes in the leaching bed. Also, choose vegetation that prefer dry soil and require no additional watering as extra water can reduce the system’s ability to absorb and treat household wastewater. Vegetable plants will not protect the system from soil erosion. Trees and shrubs should be planted far away from your system (minimum distance of 6 metres) as they have extensive root systems. Therefore grasses and shallow rooted native plants are a good choice to plant as their roots won’t damage the pipes and they require little maintenance which will keep excess weight off the leaching bed.
The Planting Process
If your system is new, it’s a good idea to start planting on the leaching bed right away to avoid soil erosion, but do not add a lot of soil because the bed requires good ventilation to function. Grasses do an excellent job of holding the soil together to prevent soil erosion. After the grass has been planted, water the new plants once and then allow them to draw moisture and nutrients from the ground, there’s no need to add excess water! When maintaining your lawn, don’t be afraid to cut the grass growing on the leaching field. However, let the grass grow before winter as the grass will catch the snow thus providing insulation for the system and preventing the system from freezing. Make sure you know where your system is located to minimize traffic on the leaching bed.
Proper landscaping will ensure protection to your system and allow your septic system to become part of your lawn!
Mark your calendar! This Saturday (September 18th) we're having a Septic Social at the Pine River United Church. The social starts at 10 with a demonstration of an inspection and quick overview of the HK-CSI program. The inspector will be there to take questions as well as staff from BMRoss. For more information click here.
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