Help

Philw · « **on:** February 13, 2008, 19:12 »

Hello all, I am a newbie and am a bit stuck so thought I would seek the advice of some more seasoned veg growers. Having converted part of our garden into a veg patch we double dug it last november and have been rotavating it regularly since, in january we rotavated in some horse manure but the soil doesn't seem to be breaking down at all, it is very heavy clay and is really sticky and remains in large wet clumps. Is there anything I can do to dry it out and get some workable soil? I have seedlings coming up all over my greenhouse and the way things are going I will have nowhere to plant them out! :shock:

Thanks in advance
Phil

mumsy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:24 »

I had clay a number of years ago & it took a few years to get it looking like proper soil, you will need to keep adding to it, plenty of compost, I am no expert, but one will be along shortly, be sure of that!!
Good Luck

mumsy · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:25 »

Oooops sorry, Welcome to the forums xxxx

dawninspain · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:28 »

I would say that it is probably a bit early in the year to hope for the soil to dry out. As mumsy said it can take several years to work on improving the soil. If practical you could always cover the ground with some plastic sheeting in the hope that it will begin to dry out underneath. This would also help to warm the soil ready for the new seedlings.

Welcome to the forums from me too.

Dawn

Trillium · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:29 »

I believe UK weather is also fairly cool and soil still wet to be getting perfect soil results at this time. Bet in another month's time the soil will look and work up better for you.
In my clay soil, I add all the chopped leaves, chopped straw, peat and other humus materials I can lay hands too. Manure alone won't make loamy soil, but it helps break down the aforementioned as well as feed the soil. And yes, there's a waiting time for developing poor soil.

And welcome to the forums.

naturesparadise · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:39 »

what i would do is dig in some sand that will help brake up the clay

and welcome to the forum

Salkeela · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:47 »

Our soil is clay here too. I second the adding of all organic matter. I also added a barrow or two of sand . . . admittedly it was because we had it handy, but it definitely helped.

mkhenry · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2008, 19:59 »

Hi and welcome Philw.
Try to only rotovate your soil once, in late autumn/winter incorporating lots of well rotted manure.
Leave the soil rough with both medium sized and small size clods so that the weather,mainly the frost can get at it , and your little unpaid army of worms can drag the muck down below the suface for you.
The soil will be weathered by the wind ,rain and frost action. This will make the soil friable (crumbly).
If you rotovate and rake it over in winter to a fine tilth, the surface will pan, That is the suface will become flat and hard on top ,but often like a pudding underneath. It will remain very wet and sticky. Then in summer it will become rock hard.
The trick is to open up the soil. Then you should wait until the soil warms up, before you walk on it ,or try to dig it up. At this time of the year most clay soil will be very wet and sticky, and you will do damage to its structure if you do mess with it.

Soil warms up around 1 degree centigrade in the spring, per week.

In spring you can rake the soil over or if its ready for working and not wet and sticky follow what your fellow lottie holders are doing. Before you plant etc.

Clay retains nutrients and water a lot better than sandy soil so it is a mixed blessing. You can heap manure on it for many years and think that you are getting nowhere, but in fact it will be improving every season.

mkhenry · « **Reply #8 on:** February 13, 2008, 20:00 »

Quote from: "naturesparadise"

what i would do is dig in some sand that will help brake up the clay

and welcome to the forum

Sharp sand works best.

Swee'pea · « **Reply #9 on:** February 13, 2008, 20:18 »

or a few bags of that very small builders grit you can get from most b & Q's or whatever is closest to you...small and pebblish in miniature form to look at ( bit like stuff in fish tanks

swee'pea

Clampit · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2008, 20:35 »

Don' t do as I did when I first started, I dug in loads of fresh straw in an attempt to break my clay soil down. When the ground eventually dried out, I was left with something comparable to concrete. The straw bound the clay together oooops :oops: .
Nevertheless, spuds and compost broke the soil up a treat that season and I grew the best cauliflowers I have ever grown.

gobs · « **Reply #11 on:** February 13, 2008, 20:44 »

Small amounts of sand will be OK, but you don't wanna be carried away here guys, so I'm lead to believe it does not do any use or rather harm in great amounts.

Anyhow it's def not the way to improve clay soil and back to the original post and answers it's patience and time, but you do not be put off by what you find, amazingly, plants do very well in clay soil, they are much better at working it than us so it seems to me, don't be afraid to chuck them in.

mumsy · « **Reply #12 on:** February 13, 2008, 21:08 »

Well said Gobs, Potatoes are the best, I only grew them on my patch the first year in the clay. They were loverly, mind you that was nearly 30 years ago !!!! Now I have loverly sandy soil to contend with

& no I didn't add meself!! Moved counties

Help

dawninspain

Trillium

Clampit