Nobody likes dealing with clay soil. You know it when you see it. Clay soil sticks to your shoes in big clumps when it rains. Clay soil is a swampy, sticky mess in wet weather and a hard, cracked parking lot in dry weather.
Clay soil holds water like a sponge. That might seem like a good thing for plant growth, but the water in clay soils leaves no room for air. The roots of plants in clay soil can't spread into the hard, dense dirt and drown in the tidal wave of water.
Improving clay soil means amending the soil to make it suitable for plant growth. By breaking up the soil and adding organic material, you create a looser soil with plenty of pore space for air and water.
No Half Measures
If you have clay soil, don't try to cheat and just amend your planting holes. As your plants mature, they'll hit the limits of your amended soil and the roots will have nowhere to go. Root bound plants are not happy plants. As your plants wither or become stunted, you'll regret taking half measures.
If you have a planting bed, amend the entire bed. If you have a vegetable garden, amend the entire garden. Your plants will thrive and you'll be glad you sent the extra mile.
Break That Clay Down
The first step in dealing with clay soil is to break up the clay particles. Gypsum, added to your soil, will break down the bonds between clay particles. Available at home and garden centers, gypsum has less of an effect on the soil pH than garden lime.
It's All About Organics
Once you have broken up the clay, you'll want it to stay that way. Adding organic material to your soil has several benefits. Organic material:
Compost, grass clippings, chopped up leaves and aged manure all make great organic soil amendments. You'll want to add at least a four inch layer of organic material over the top of your soil, and then work the material into the soil to a depth of eight to twelve inches. You can use a shovel to turn the soil, but a tiller will help for large areas.
A Little Follow Up Work
Although you can plant in your amended soil right away, it may take several months before you see significant results. Be sure to test your soil pH after a few weeks and adjust as needed.
Add a two to three inch layer of organic material to your clay soil every year for a couple of years and your garden will be the envy of the neighborhood.
Soil pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline your soil is. The number you get when you test your soil's pH can tell you whether your plants are likely to thrive in your garden spot or not. Luckily, if the answer is no, there are ways to change your soil's pH and make your garden into a more hospitable environment for your vegetables, flowers and lawn. |
 | Plants make their own food, but they sometimes need a helping had from fertilizer. By conducting a soil test and knowing how to read a fertilizer bag, you'll be able to make choices that benefit your plants instead of harming them. |
 | The types of soil in your garden are a key element in whether it succeeds or fails. |
 | |&&|Sandy soil quickly loses water and nutrients. Learn which plants will thrive in these challenging conditions. |
In order to grow successfully, your plants need good soil. This includes the right drainage, pH balance, and conditions. Without good soil, valuable time and investment will probably be lost. Since most soils need some amount of improvement, here are some things you can do to help them along. |
