InspectAPedia ^TM

Planting Ground Coverings Over Septic System Components - an illustrated guide SepticAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

• Ground cover over septic fields
• Advice for planting over or near septic systems

This chapter discusses the types of plants that should or should not be planted over or near septic fields or other septic system components. Planting trees, shrubs, and even some ground covers over septic system components are causes of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar components. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Planting Ground Cover Over Septic Fields

What Ground Cover Should Not Be Planted over Septic Systems?

Ivy, Pachysandra, Similar Ground Covers are NOT OK for use over a septic drainfield: these plants will reduce effluent evaporation from the drainfield, soil absorption system, soakaway system, or mound soils. A second reason to keep these plants away from septic system fields is because their roots often invade and clog effluent distribution piping. The photographs above show pachysandra as a dense ground cover (at left) and typical ground cover north of the arctic circle in Norway (at right). Thick dense vegetation of any sort will conserve moisture to itself and will preven soil transpiration. Over a septic system this means that the portion of effluent disposal that is supposed to be occurring due to evaporation will be reduced and the liquid load on surrounding soils increased - you've cut the effectivness and shortened the life of the drainfield by such plantings. These plants are OK, however, for planting over the septic tank itself.

What Ground Cover is Acceptable for Planting over Septic Systems?

Wildflowers and ordinary grasses are just fine for planting over a septic system and any of its components. These are shallow-root plants that do not invade the system piping, they stabilize the soil surface, and they do not interfere with soil transpiration, the movement of needed oxygen into the upper soil layers (needed by the soil biomat below the drainfield) and the evaporation of a portion of septic effluent that enters the drainfield. [The photograph shows a field of wildflowers in northern Vermont.]

Use links just below or throughout our website links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Links to articles on plants or animals over septic system components:
PLANTS OVER SEPTICS
   Gardens Near Septics
   Grasses or Flowers
   Grazing, Animals
   Ground Cover, Ivy
   Trees or Shrubs
   Using Root Killers
   Using a Roto Rooter

The Septic Systems Online Book - Where Are We?

• This Chapter: SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
• Next Chapter: PERC TESTS
• First Chapter: SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Septic System Diagnosis, Maintenance, & Repair

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

InspectAPedia ^TM Home & Site Map - Building Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair, Environmental Inspection & Testing - Research Website

Home Inspection Construction Consulting Services & advice for home buyers

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

	Enter your search termsSubmit search form
	Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com