How To Improve Clay Soil in the Garden
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Thank you for all of the tips! I love your website!
My daughter has clay and I worried about planting in it. Hydrangeas are listed, as well as lilac, azalea, climbing roses and lilies I have planted in her soil and all have thrived! I planted a hyacinth garden in the late fall/early winter, keeping my fingers crossed they’ll come up in the spring. For some strange reason this nasty clay seems to be doing great by “most” of the plants I landscape her place with 😊.
Hello, I'm late getting to this but we have the hard white "china" clay and I can't get anything to grow in it. Any advice - other than amendment which is really tough to do with clay this hard....
I’m not a master Gardner …however this is some things I’ve done to break up clay soil. 1. Purchase a load of gypsum if available in your area and begin to work into your soil. Gypsum is great for breaking up the clay over a period of time. 2. Get a free load of mulch from mulch site preferably fine pine bark mulch and mix it 12” into your clay soil. 3. Get a load of free aged cow manure and work it 12” into the clay soil. 4. Continue mixing compost made of leaves,grass clippings,etc into the clay soil. Remember clay soil does have many nutrients in it. Keep your clay soil covered with mulch, straw, or pine needles . Keep amending this soil with these ingredients and eventually you will have great soil to work with. The other thing you can do is raise a bed over the clay . Start by covering the clay with things like mulch,leaves,shredded paper,compost,sandy loam(not sand),woody materials ,etc and build up the area 12 to 24”.
You’ll need to either amend your soil or plant in raised beds, planters, or containers.
I agree with Country girl; where are the vegetables?
What type of Vegetables can grow in clay soil?
Does it help to plant them deeper?
Thank You
I meant to say: to the Poster; not the writer; people are really getting into Gardening!!!
Don't any vegetables grow in clay soil?? Why aren't they listed?
Gardening in clay will not be different when starting from seed; but if you are transplanting something, like a tomato plant, try to root wash all the potting soil from plant, then plant in the native soil, slowly mudding in the native soil with water until air bubbles are gone. The difference in soil texture causes a perched water table effect, and why many find it difficult to grow in clay.