[leemap]

hi
ive just made some new raised bed (no free wood though) or free compost!!!! but the soil underneath is clay and very wet. ive order top soil got compost/manure. last yr in the other bed i just dug it over put soil on top. but parsnip and carrots stunted is that because of clay underneath. what should i do??? :roll:  :?:  :idea:

[matron]

Grow them in buckets and make sure the buckets are at least 2 foot off the ground to confuse them carrot fly.  

[leemap]

Grow them in buckets and make sure the buckets are at least 2 foot off the ground to confuse them carrot fly.  

thank you il try that

[Trillium]

If you still want to grow them in raised beds, before you fill the bed you need to loosen the clay with a garden fork, add some rotted manure or shredded leaves or even coarse sand which you'd slice in as best you can, and then you can add whatever soils you're bringing in. Solid clay bases offer no drainage, nor penetration by crop roots so you really do need to loosen the clay first.

[gregmcalister]

I would agree with that. In my last house the soil in the garden was heavy clay subsoil so I had to mix in quite a lot of sharp sand then loads of compost and manure. The difference was quite impressive and the soil was much better for growing in.

[leemap]

If you still want to grow them in raised beds, before you fill the bed you need to loosen the clay with a garden fork, add some rotted manure or shredded leaves or even coarse sand which you'd slice in as best you can, and then you can add whatever soils you're bringing in. Solid clay bases offer no drainage, nor penetration by crop roots so you really do need to loosen the clay first.

thank you thats a great idea, ive already loosened it up but added manure and sand great idea thank you....il do it between showers & hail stones. :cry:

[leemap]

If you still want to grow them in raised beds, before you fill the bed you need to loosen the clay with a garden fork, add some rotted manure or shredded leaves or even coarse sand which you'd slice in as best you can, and then you can add whatever soils you're bringing in. Solid clay bases offer no drainage, nor penetration by crop roots so you really do need to loosen the clay first.

thank you thats a great idea, ive already loosened it up but added manure and sand great idea thank you....il do it between showers & hail stones.