FERNS Galore

I have a lot of plain ol ferns growing in the location that I want to locate the foundation of my house [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I have always associated ferns with wet or at least damp areas. As I walk the area (on a sunny day) it does not seem to be any wetter than near by areas where there are few or no ferns?? [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] I have to admit that I have not walked the area right after a hard rain so I don't know if it is draining slow or what. AM I HEADING FOR TROUBLE?? I'm a bit computer challenged but I will try and attach a photo.

Don't see your attachment, buy in my experience, ferns are found in damp, dark locations with just the right soil. The damp could be at the surface, or it could be down a bit. The best thing to do is to dig a test pit - probably not exactly where you are plannning to build (so you don't disturb the soil) but near it.

If you make a hole and it sort of fills up all by itself, you are asking for problems. If the soil is nice and firm down there you might be able to get away with 'wet' footings but if the wet is above basement floor level you could look foreward to leaking basement, etc.

If your test pit is high and dry, and the soil is fine, you are ok. Think of it as an excuse to get some tractor time. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

Of course, you have a tractor, don't you ?

Brian, Thanks for your input. I will have a tractor when I get home and can't wait for "seat time". I really hope that the site is OK to build on as it is pretty nice. I guess I will have to do some poking around. As far as the photo, I have to work on my "computer skills" or lack of them.
I worked in Malton for 7 years and spent a lot of time on the 400 going to and from Huntsville. It was a pleasure to live in Ontario.

When I lived on Whidbey Island up in the Puget Sound north of Seattle there were a lot of ferns growing in the wooded areas. The ferns grew because we got a lot of rain and the ground was covered by a thick mat of decaying leaves, etc. from the trees (a natural compost heap).

It was perfectly buildable, though because just under the 2 feet or so of matting was glacial till - gravel/sand/rock - that drained quite well.

Hope this is the situation in your new place.