This is the time of year that I get a lot of calls from people asking about water problems in their basements.

Part of the issue can be that the ground around their home has started to thaw out, while the ground further from the home is frozen. If the the lawn around home is not properly graded, this can result in the snow melting and running up against the house and soaking into the ground. If it can then find a place to come in to your basement, it will.

However, it doesn’t have to be spring to have this problem. It depends on a variety of of factors, including proper grading around the foundation, soil type, the presence (or absence) of drain tile or similar drainage system and a sump pump, gutters and downspouts and where they channel the water (are they plugged?), the condition of your foundation, and even how high the siding is on the house.

Left: This is a situation where the water came off of the roof, landed on a concrete patio, ran up against the house, and because of a heavy clay soil, had no place to go. We did not find out about this problem until we removed the concrete patio in preparation for a new paver patio. We had to stop work until the problem was fixed. The owner had Hanson Excavating come in and install a tiling system. Under the future brick patio we had to dig channels just to get the water away from the foundation (see below)

If you have a problem, the first thing to do is to go outside and look at the grade around your home. It could be that the soil is sloped toward your foundation.This is the most common problem that I deal with, and is usually the easiest to fix. It could be that the soil settled after construction, or if you don’t have gutters, the water could have come off the roof and “pounded” a channel next to the house and caused the soil to settle. This is especially true where two roof sections come together to create extra runoff. The normal solution is to import soil around the foundation and, if need be, put down black plastic and a stone mulch to channel the water away.

Water problems are much more prevalent if you have a heavy clay soil. If you live in Wang’s Woods (Woodland trail) you know what I’m talking about. Heavy clay soil does not allow the water to drain away fast enough. Water will always follow the path of least resistance, so if there is a crack in your foundation or even if the mortar on your foundation blocks has come loose, water will gladly flow in to the opening, down your basement wall, and on to your nice new carpet. Once the water has found a way in, it will continue to channel to the same spot every time. I have also seen situations where the water filled up the hollow area in the blocks all the way up to the top block.

It can add to the problem if the home has not had a drainage system (such as drain tile) installed and/or it does not have a sump pump in the basement to pump the water back out and away from the house. This is can be especially true of older homes. Almost all newer homes built by a reliable contractor on “questionable” soil will have some sort of drainage system with a sump pump installed. However, I have seen situations where the water was pumped from the basement but because of a poor grade it just ran right back in to the house and in to the basement again. It could be (especially if you have the dreaded heavy clay soil) that you may have to have a drainage/sump pump system installed by a local excavate or building contractor.

Another place to look is up. It may be that you need to install gutters on your home. If you have gutters, make sure that they are not plugged up from last year’s leaves.(Although with almost every roof in town being replaced, this may not be a problem this year!) Make sure the downspouts take the water far enough from the house so that it keeps on going and never comes back. I have installed systems that take the water in a pipe under ground and directly to the city run-off system, but you have to get a permit to do this.Probably the most serious situation involves the condition of your foundation, especially if you live in an older home. The solution could be as minor as a simple patching up, or it could involve major repairs. It is an issue best left for an expert building contractor.

Above: What a mess!

Winter Burn On Evergreens

Minnesota’s winters can be really tough on landscape plants. The combination of cold temperatures, winter sun, and drying winds can damage or even kill buds, bark, roots. Hungry mice and rabbits can nibble away at bark and branches, causing severe damage or even death. In addition, evergreens, can suffer from winter burn, the most susceptible being juniper, pine, hemlock, arborvitae, and yew. New plantings can get hit especially hard.

Evergreens are usually one of the earlier plants to show visible signs of winter injury in the spring, known as winter burn. This happens when the ground is frozen, and the winter sun and wind causes the leaves to lose moisture. Because the plant can’t replace the lost moisture from frozen soil, they literally dry out and turn brown. This normally occurs on the south or southwest side of the plant, or if it is in an exposed location, on the windward side. A very important contributing factor is lack of snow cover, especially when the soil freezes early before the needles get a chance to acclimate to the cold weather ahead, causing even more moisture loss. A late cold snap in the spring after the branches have leafed out can also cause browning.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the death of the plant, however, so don’t get impatient and cut out the brown branches. In many cases, the branch itself will still be alive and will send out new shoots. (See photo at right) However if you can’t stand looking at the brown needles, try getting out your old kitchen broom and brush them off of the plant. Just be sure you don’t break any branches. Photo at right is from R. W. Stack, North Dakota State University. Click to enlarge.

Prevention

The best way to prevent winter burn on your evergreens is to plant them in the right location. Avoid locations that are both exposed to the northwest winter wind and the winter sun . Also keep them away from your furnace or clothes dryer vent! Some evergreens are more tolerant of winter burn than others. Tauton yew and Techny arborvitae are two that can be safely exposed to the winter sun.
Also, make sure your evergreens don’t go in to the winter with the soil dry. The plants need moisture in the soil to replace the moisture loss from the leaves. Make sure you water them well watered, especially if they have gone through a dry spell in the late summer or fall. October and November (and sometimes December) is not too late, as long as the soil is not frozen and will take the water.
If you have already planted them the situation described, or that plant “just has” to to be in that location, then some winter protection may need to Be provided,in the way of protection from the wind or sun. The most common way is to use a sheet of burlap (available at most large garden centers) wrapped around the plant and held together by twine. Just make sure you don’t wrap it too tight, and leave it open at the top for air to get in and out.
Anti desiccants have also been used. They are mixed with water and sprayed on the plant, leaving a “waxy” coating to prevent moisture loss. However, recent research has shown the results to be generally disappointing.