Can plants be planted over a drain field? [solved]

Question

Danny T.1026 Asked 12 years ago

Can plants be planted over a drain field? [solved]

The previous owner of my house planted plants and small bushes where the drain field is.

I have a feeling that the roots will eventually damage the drains.

Is this okay or should I remove them?

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Have a look at: co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/drainfield.html see the do's and don'ts. - Toon Krijthe 12 years ago

@Gamecat - you should summarise the main point (about which plants are OK) in an answer, referencing the source of course. - ChrisF 12 years ago

2 Answers Found

If they were called ficus weeds, nobody would want them in their office. I didn't know people planted those things outside, I thought they only grew under florescent lights. - Tester101 12 years ago

Karen2670 Answered 1 week ago

Septic Field Landscaping with the University of Maryland Extension

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score 42 · Accepted Answer

It really depends on what you want to plant, but generally you do not want to have anything but grass or something that has shallow roots and does not block out the sun. Your leech field works in two ways, one is the water leeches through the soil, but the other way that it works is evaporation. Evaporation accounts from 30 to 70% of what goes in your leech field, depending on how it is designed.

So I would avoid putting to much around it or over it. Trees will love the water, but eventually clog up your field. The worst, ficus trees, they should be called ficus weeds.