Clay Soil - please help

[Yorkie580]

Any ideas to improve a clay soil? Our garden is clay and during the winter is resembled a pond, whilst athe moment it has cracks all over the place.

Somebody suggested digging a dainage pit, whilst someone else said this would just mean our neighbour's gardens were well drained but that all the water would end up in our's.

Someone else said get an aerator but again somebody else said this could take years to improve the soil.

Please help...

[tictactoe]

Hi Yorkie,

We had the same problem, where we used to live.
Added Top Soil, Peat (before the environmental issue) and good compost (not the cheap variety), later added our own home grown compost.

It's hard work, really hard - but worth it in the end. Don't expect to do it all in one day - you'll break your back!!

Good factor is, that although your garden can resemble a quagmire, clay soil has wonderful nutrients in it, and roses (so the experts say) love it!!

So good, that if you dig a hole for a pond, you don't require any liner!!!

good luck
n00dles

[tictactoe]

Should have said the double digging method...

Dig out about 12 - 18 inches, put in mixture (above post) and work this in. Put back dug out clay, then add more mixture and work this in.

Hope yours is not going to prove too difficult. When we re-landscaped for a wildlife pond, 2 foot down was like solid granite...

[hammerman]

Just spent half hour typing out a comprehensive reply and this poxy site crashed :o(

Edit.....done the same and it crashed again so im going to try shorter posts


Lawns......hollow tine in october removing 4-6" cores every few inches. Top dress with a very sandy loam top dressing making sure the soil is worked into the holes. Might need doing every year until your happy.

[hammerman]

Cont............

Beds and borders.......apply as much organic material as possible (manure, mushroom compost, peat etc) and put it on at least 6" thick. Dig this in to the clay soil around November time and leave the beds dug rough with large clods. The winter weather will break this all down nicely.

Again, this will be an annual event until your happy.

As said, there is no quick fix for clay but clay soils is a superb soil for moisture loving plants such as azaleas, roses, bog plants, camellias and Pierris

[WendyS]

Think hammerman is right. Digging in vast amounts of organic matter - manure, straw, shredded newspaper, grass cuttings, bark clippings is the only long term way to break down the soil. Conceentrate on one area at a time. If you have any riding stables nearby they will probably be happy to let you have their used straw bedding. Keeping a compost heap is essential. Check with your Local Authority Recycling Dept. Ours (South Bucks) has a free compost day once a year where residents can turn up with containers and take away as much as they can carry free.

[Yorkie580]

Thanks everyone.... psyching myself up for some hard work.