Many people prefer to plant shrubs, flowers, and other plants near their foundation walls. These aesthetically pleasing plantings have often been used to hide foundations and to camouflage what was a more unsightly area. Now these plantings serve to complement and enhance a home’s appearance, particularly when done in the front of the home.
These plants and shrubs make your home look nice, as long as your water them. Watering them may, however, cause damage to your foundation walls. Plants near your home are not necessarily a problem for your foundation, but they can be.
Don’t Over-Water
Over-watering may be worse for your home than it is for your plants. You do not want the soil directly next to your home to be too damp all the time, but if you are watering too often or too much, you are definitely keeping your foundation damper than it needs to be.
The top layer of soil or mulch will become saturated, and the water will seep into the ground next to the wall. Eventually, this could lead to cracks and water seeping into your basement or crawlspace. This could lead to cracks in the wall and water damage. By making sure that you only water when necessary and do not overdo it, you are helping to keep you basement dry.
Don’t Install Sprinklers Near the Foundation
If you are having sprinklers installed, remember that your contractor is most likely not a waterproofing expert. Request that sprinkler heads are not installed too close to the foundation wall. You of course want to water plants near the foundation, but this may not be the best way to do it.
Sprinkler heads can leak a bit after they are shut off, and areas directly around them will most likely be wet all the time, something you definitely do not want near your foundation wall. These same saturated areas will continue to be saturated in the cooler seasons when watering is not needed, and this will put additional pressure on the foundation walls.
You could cap the sprinkler heads if they are already installed near your foundation and just water the area nearest your foundation manually. Another option would be to speak with a waterproofing expert. There are drainage solutions that can help your plants stay watered and can help to keep your basement dry.
Conclusion
Planting near foundation walls is possible. It helps add curb appeal and makes your home more welcoming. You just need to be cautious when watering. A persistently damp foundation can be damaging and overwatering or watering with automatic sprinklers can quite easily cause this. Installing a drain or other waterproofing solutions can help.
