[Poppy Rowan]

Hi all, I have not posted on here in a very long time....in fact almost gave up the allotment altogether, but that is another story!
I have looked through some of the topics, and information, but apart from adding compost what can I do to help soil that is very claggy and heavy? It holds water to the point that I have to try planting everything through clods of earth rather than soil! They just won't break up even when they have been dug numerous times.
Thank you for any advice you can offer :-)

[mumofstig]

To break the clods, you have to catch it with just the right amount of moisture in it - before they set like concrete.

It usually means digging and lots of bashing with the back of the fork/spade, and raking in Spring. Sometimes you can do the bashing raking just after rain, or a good soak with the hose. But at this time of year I usually just rake the clods out of the way to plant.

Obviously any manure/plot compost you can add helps hold moisture in the soil to improve it - but it takes ages unless you can add huge amounts each year.

[Goosegirl]

My soil is heavy silt, so I know the problem! There could be a drainage problem in the sub-soil where cultivating just the top 6"-8" or so had made what is called a "hard pan" that stops water draining down into the sub-soil, and you can actually see the abrupt difference in the soil colour. If you have dug down enough so that isn't the reason, two things I would suggest to start off with. Get some sharp sand (not builder's sand) mixed with grit, or just grit on its own and dig it into the top soil - this will give you instant results. A slightly longer-term option is to use Gypsum because that binds the tiny clay particles together to open up the soil texture. At the end of the gardening season, get hold of as much compost or whatever on offer and fork that in, plus pile on top any other compost or manure (fresh is ok) so it can degrade over winter. 

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

You could try a green manure over the winter if you can made a sufficient seed bed to get it to germinate. I found this made the soil much more friable although I disliked having to dig it in/up in the spring when things were busy on the plot already. It also provides lots more organic matter to bulk up the soil.

If you do go down that route I would recommend avoiding Hungarian grazing rye which is a nightmare to dig in and use Italian rye-it's still a pain but easier and still has a good effect.

[mumofstig]

Phacelia is good, too, cos the tops die back during winter and the roots do a great job  and don't regrow if they don't get dug in.

[boddy]

Failing that lot's of plant once crops like fruit bushes and trees. Then either lasagne beds or some raised beds with top soil? I keep telling my mother to do this, she has a heavy clay soil, after 7 years it's getting a bit better. Oh and potato's to break it up too, just dig a hole for each one rather than making a groove. She's jealous of my soil, but her weeds aren't out of control as mine!!

[Poppy Rowan]

Thank you for all your help.... sand/grit and some top soil is definitely worth a try, especially if I raise the beds. I will see where I can source Gypsum and how much it is likely to cost... a builders merchants possibly?
Mumofstig is right that it is either sodden or rock hard...there is no happy medium, so working the soil and adding stuff to break it up is the only way to go I suppose!
Here's to hard slog!