[Christo]

yes its clay,i can roll it into a sausage and make a ring, yes its heavy,and sticks to spade and fork,,thans all,ill need to work on it  lol

No great shakes. With a bit of work and some nice organic matter & sand dug in over the next few years, you'll have wonderful soil again. 

[Ma and Pa Snip]

yes its clay,i can roll it into a sausage and make a ring, yes its heavy,and sticks to spade and fork,,thans all,ill need to work on it  lol

Good luck and keep at it.

We made a raised bed a couple of years back out of a small area, 12ft x 12ft, that had never had much growing on it.
Area was in shade under a 20ft high Cotoneaster tree, tree cut down as it was too close to house.

Dug out barrow upon barrow loads of clay and skipped it, removed base clay down a full spit, added sharp sand, homemade compost, purchased MP compost and manure.

The new raised bed made on new soil base to extra 9 inches depth.
Was great, lovely drop of soil, grew spuds first year, beans & peas second year. Well pleased with our efforts.

Dug it over last week, was right disheartening.
clay has moved up through it. Was awful to work.. Have added more sharp sand and more compost & manure.

Nil Desperandum

[totalnovice]

Clay may be difficult to work to start with but it is usually a very fertile soil. Whilst digging i sometimes find chuncks of pure clay, I have even made a rough pot out of it! I keep my netting pegs in it in the shed.
Still get some gret crops and fab exercise out of it though.

[Fisherman]

i checked the jar today
on top was a little organic.next was water,on the bottom it lookes like soil.
so what do you think,
regards mick

I think that tells the story Mick. Sounds like its made up of mainly silt and clay. Plenty of digging ahead and adding of much humus as possible and if you can get hold of it some sharp sand as well. Get a compost heap going as soon as pos which will help out in the long run.

Good luck.