MIRLITON.ORG

MIRLITON.ORG

Raised Bed Drainage System Test Using interior French Drain Pipes Mirlitons (chayote, “Sechium edule)

FASP Pipe french drain system (FASP: French Angle Slotted Pipe). This is a test site at Ye Old College Inn in New Orleans. Because of intensive rain days, a chronically high-water table, saturated soil and poor drainage, raised beds are not capable of removing excess water quickly enough to allow proper aeration for mirliton roots. Waterlogging of roots is a common problem, even in raised beds. To solve the problem, we developed this artificial sub-surface drainage system using "french drain" pipe to intercept excess rain and drain it out the side of the bed. This allows for drainage even when ground soil is too saturated for normal bed filtration. See next photos.
Interior view of installed pipe.
Entry pipe
In two beds we are testing FASP Pipe brand french drain pipe donate by Ralph Johnson of the Faspipe company. In one bed, the pipe will be covered directly with soil. In a second test bed, the pipe will be covered with approximately three inches of gravel. Note gravel bed on both and pipe is mounted at a grade.
High end of slotted corrugated drain pipe test bed. Rather than FASP pipe, you can use s ordinary 4" slotted corrugated drain pipe that can be purchased for $6 in 10' length from most big-box hardware stores. It looks like normal corrugated pipe except that it has drain slits that encircle the pipe. This pipe worked well and is used extensively for agricultural subsurface drainage. The benefit to corrugated pipe is that it is inexpensive and readily available
Interior of corrugated plastic drain pipe after several weeks. On clogs and it drains well. I left both ends open so I could moniot and clean pipe if necessary.
Corrugated perforated drain pipe 4" x 10' at Home Depot. Very inexpensive and worked well. Internal views of several weeks after install. No gravel cover of pipe, no cloth sock
Inexpensive slotted corrugated drain pipe from home depot which worked well for drainage. Rather than FASP pipe, this is ordinary 4" slotted corrugated drain pipe that can be purchased for $6 in 10' length from most big-box hardware stores. It looks like normal corrugated pipe except that it has drain slits that encircle the pipe. This pipe worked well and is used extensively for agricultural subsurface drainage. The benefit to corrugated pipe is that it is inexpensive and readily available