problem soil

Marion jones2

Hi please can anyone help I've moved home and the new garden soil is clay real hick heavy clay . I am disabled do digging or weeding the soil needs to be lighter what can I add to make it lighter. Thank you

Dovefromabove

Hi Marion

I would spread as much farmyard manure as you can on the soil and leave it - the worms will take the manure down into the soil - keep repeating it and after a few years you'll have a really fertile soil, and the worms will have done it all for you.

Redwing

As Dove says, manure is the best...mulch, mulch and mulch with whatever organic matter you have.  Clay is actually quite fertile once you open it out.

Jules B

I've lived with bad clay soil for many years and as other's have said, farmyard manure is fantastic.  I've installed drains, french ditches, grit, but because i'm at the bottom of a small slope on a group of six houses i get all the run off.  But the only thing that has improved my soil enough that i can grow plenty of veg is the manure.  As already mentioned, you won't even have to dig it in.  Our friends the worms will be happy to do that for you.  So even though having a clay soil garden has it's challenges it doesn't mean you can't grow anything. 

Tingly

When you say farmyard manure are we talking chickens? or horses?

thanks

Posy

Horse is best, with lots of straw, not wood shavings but cowpoo and straw is excellent, too. Chicken manure doesn't have the bulk but it is rich in nutrients.

treehugger80

http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/

have a look on this website - Charles Dowding advocates no dig gardening, but a lot of barrowing may be involved so might not be for you.

Tingly

thanks for the clarificationn- appreciated.

 

Dovefromabove

Or if you can find anyone who keeps goats on a Deep Litter system, mucking out twice a year - the contents of their muck heap would be wonderful!