Dave Bida – Sticks & Stones

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French Drain Guide

While the little ones may enjoy playing in a mud puddle, excess water on a property can be damaging.

A French Drain is a simple, yet effective, solution for managing excess surface water and groundwater around a home.  If your customer is facing issues with water pooling, or soggy areas in their yard, installing a French Drain can help redirect water away from problem areas.

For a modern and efficient approach, a great option is using the NDS Flo-Well system.  Keep reading for a step-by-step guide.

Materials Needed (all are available at Christensen's)

  • NDS Flow-Well
  • Flo-Well Drain Inlet
  • 4" Tri Wall Pipe or 4" Perforated Pipe
  • EZ Flow Mesh Pipe
  • Gravel (clean, coarse)
  • Landscape Fabric
  • Pulaski Axe
  • Shovel
  • Trenching spade
  • Level
  • Tape measure

Planning Your Drainage System

Before you begin digging, plan the layout of your French Drain. Identify the areas where water accumulates and determine where you want to redirect it.  The Flo-Well should be installed at the low point of your drainage system to collect and disperse water effectively.


Digging the Trench

Use a shovel and trenching spade to dig a trench for the French Drain.  The trench should be about 6-12 inches wide, and deep enough to accommodate the pipe and a layer of gravel, typically around 18-24 inches deep. Make sure the trench slopes away from the home at a gentle slope (around 1% slope or 1" of fall for every 8' of pipe) to ensure proper water flow.


Laying Down Landscape Fabric

Place landscape fabric at the bottom of the trench. This fabric will prevent soil from mixing with the gravel and clogging the system, while allowing water to flow through. Extend the fabric up the sides of the trench so it can be folded over the gravel later.

Installing the Drain Pipe

Lay the drain pipe in the trench on top of the landscape fabric. If using perforated pipe, ensure the holes in the pipe are facing downward to collect water from the surrounding soil.  Connect the sections of pipe as needed, and check that the pipe has a consistent slope.

Adding Gravel

Cover the perforated pipe with gravel. Fill the trench with gravel up to about 2-4 inches from the surface. The gravel should be clean and coarse to facilitate good drainage. As you add gravel, gently compact it to ensure it settles evenly around the pipe.

Placing the Flo-Well

At the end of the trench, where you want the water to disperse, place the NDS Flo-Well. The Flo-Well is a modular, underground stormwater management system designed to collect and infiltrate water efficiently. The Flo-Well has 3 sides: each side has 4 locations where the drain pipe can be connected. Position the Flo-Well accordingly to connect to the drain pipe, ensuring it is level and securely placed in the gravel-filled trench.

Installing the Optional Drain Inlet

At this point, you can install an optional surface Flo-Well Drain Inlet to the top of the Flo-Well.  A surface Drain Inlet will help surface run-off to drain directly into the Flo-Well. It also provides a way to clean out debris that may get into the Flo-Well without having to dig it up.

To install the surface Drain Inlet, remove the center knockout on the Flo-Well lid and attach the Inlet.  It's best to cover the grate of the Inlet with tape until installation is complete to prevent sand and soil from falling into the Flo-Well.

Wrap and Cover

Fold the landscape fabric over the top of the gravel. This will keep soil from entering the gravel and clogging the system. You can now back fill with EZ Flow Mesh Pipe. Finally, backfill and cover the remaining area with soil and grass or other landscaping material to blend the French Drain with the yard.

Test the System

After installation, test the system by running water through it to ensure it flows properly into the Flo-Well and that there are no areas where water pools or backs up.


By following these steps, you can effectively manage water runoff around your customer's property and prevent potential damage caused by excess moisture. The NDS Flo-Well system provides a durable and efficient system for managing stormwater, ensuring that the landscape remains healthy and dry.

Meet the New Guy at the Counter

As many of you have already noticed there has been a slight change at the Plant Center counter this year. After many years of dedicated service and taking with him an impeccable reputation, Jimmy decided to retire. Not seeing Jimmy when you first walked in may have come as a shock, but I do hope to fill his shoes and provide the same level of service as he did.

A little bit about me:
My name is David (yes, one of the many that work here – we currently have 5 ‘Daves’), and have been with Christensen’s for almost 10 years now. I started on the receiving crew and was quickly moved up to Crew Leader. After that, I made a brief stop in Hardscape yard operations. A few years ago, I was moved into Sales at the Plant Center (and began writing for Sticks & Stones!). For the past few years, I took a liking to the Counter and tried to learn as much from Jimmy as I could. I was lucky enough to be asked if I wanted to take over the position and jumped at the chance. Which brings us to this year.

Rosemont Kit

It has been a learning experience with some of the products we carry in the store, knowing what products we need to keep stocked and what products we can bring in if needed. I am eager to hear of anything you may like to see us stock. Also, if there are any items we don't keep on hand, feel free to ask and we can see if it’s something we can bring in as a special order. One item many people tend to notice when they come in is our two Easy Pro Tranquil Decor Fountain Kits (in both 3 Tier Basalt and 3 Tier Rosemount). While both of these items can be ordered (and only take a few days to come in from Easy Pro), they also offer a large variety of different Kits to fit your customers needs. We have Product Catalogs available upon request if needed as well.

Again, I am extremely open to any suggestions you may have as far as things you’d like to see brought into the store. Whether that be tools, fertilizer, or whatever you may like to see. I am here to better serve you.

Dave Bida By Line

Shooting Straight About New Endeavors

Christensens Hat with Christensen's Plant and Hardscape Center Catalogs

While I am a new face in Customer Service, I have been a team member of Christensen’s for almost 8 years now. I have worn many hats during my time here. I began my journey with Receiving and Deliveries and then onto Hardscape Yard Operations which then lead to Customer Service. While I was excited about the promotion and eager to start a new position, as with starting anything new, there’s always a learning curve. Along with the changes at work, I started a new hobby, competitive shooting, that taught me many things I could apply to my new position. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned from simultaneously taking on these two new endeavors.

Dave Bida using the machine to pull evergreens

My biggest takeaway has been holding myself accountable in different situations. I’m only as successful as I make myself. While I am on a customer service ‘team’, taking care of customers is a very individualized activity. Like shooting, I personally need to ensure the success of my customers’ visit, just as I ensure the score I receive when in competition. My preparation and attention to detail need to be top-notch each time I go into the yard to pull material. I need to be sure that I have the correct paperwork, the right plants, the healthiest plants and the best substitutions during our current availability challenges.  As I go onto the course for shooting, I know that my preparation will make a difference in my score. Knowing the course, having reloads ready and planned, and being in the right gear all are important factors.

Preparation for pulling plants

In both activities, speed and precision are key. It won’t make a difference to you, our customer, how fast I was able to load your order if I didn’t get it correct. So, while I strive to get you back to your job site as quickly as possible, I always need to be aware of my precision.

Other lessons I’ve picked up include simple things like removing small distractions and focusing on the task at hand. Communication, adaptability, active listening, and the ability to work out any problems that might arise are dominant attributes in forming customer relationships.

REcieving Crew working with machine

It can be easy to become frustrated and discouraged when starting new endeavors. The idea of “new” is scary for many people. Personal and professional accountability can help ease some of those worries. The implementation of these essential qualities greatly assisted to curb some of the difficulties and challenges I found may arise. With my first year in customer service behind me, I can confidently say most of the worries I had were unfounded. I couldn’t have asked for a better year with Christensen's. As I aim my sights at the year ahead, I know that it will be a good year with my strategies ready to go. 

Dave Bida By Line