Hi I've Got A 23 Acre Farm . The Soil Is Blue Clay. I Have A Patch Of Groun For A Garden. The Owner Before Me Raised Sheep. Ihave Cows And A Horse I've Been Using Tha Manure To Try And Work The Soil. It's Rock Hard When Dry And Spongey When Wet. Does Any One Have Any Suggestions As To Develope The Soil Better? Thanks
OK, this question comes up a lot so I address fully. And maybe put this to rest. Clay is the hardest soil to improve and there just is no quick fix. It is done over time by adding what is missing from your soil = aggragate, sand, and organics. Organics can help clay's texture, but not necessarily alone and you do have to be carefull! Mix clay with peat and you have a nice adobe brick material. So you need all sorts of organic material chunky, leaves, peat ... and don't forget to add sand and aggregate! Organics must be replenished annually, not to be over done, so it can be a long annual back breaking process. Most clay has plenty of neutrients, so you are not amending for food, but for texture. This long process may be a fine for annuals, with each increasing year having finer and finer beds. But isn't too much of an option if you want perenials. Basically what you are doing, in effect, is making new soil nature's way, so, after several years you may finally have soil texture suitable for perenials but will have to settle for annuals short term. Even then, after you obtain a good texture for perennials, you still have to top dress with organics, if nothing else, to feed the worms you'll need to aireate the soil and keep it from reverting to clay. So, yes, it can be done but there are better solutions. One mistake people make with clay, and one temptation to avoid, is to dig a regulation hole, properly ammend the planting soil, and then place their lovely plant in this death hole. Although they followed the book, the plants roots are unlikely to ever extend beyond the hole, but more likely, it will drown or get root rot first since clay just doesn't drain well. OK, since to fix clay, you have to end up making new soild anyway, most people prefer to save their backs and make a permanant raised bed for their plants. They escavate the clay to the desired level (6 inches or even more), add a good layer of gravel to the bottom, and backfill the rest with the rich lome of their desires. Some people have taken this to extreams and have done this to their whole yard! A second alternative, perhaps a better one, is to plant the plants do well in clay! Of course this will only work for certain plants, perhaps not the ones you desire, but is an alternative. And if you really want such a plant, or planting area, you'll have to settle for the more labor intensive raised bed. The point is, however, you can still have a nice garden -- a garden of clay loving plants. Here is a list of clay loving plants that was attibuted to the Alanta Botanical Gardens (I'm sure the people here can come up with a few more): 1. Aster tartaricus 2. Astilbe 3. Bee balm, Monarda 4. Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia 5. Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans 6. Butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii 7. Canna 8. Coreopsis 9. Creeping phlox, Phlox subulata 10. Crinum 11. Daffodil, Narcissus 12. Daylily, Hemerocallis 13. Deutzia, Deutzia gracilis 14. False indigo, Baptisia 15. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica 16. Gaura 17. Goatsbeard, Aruncus aethusifolius 18. Joe-pye weed, Eupatorium 19. Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa 20. Miscanthus, Miscanthus sinensis 21. Miss Huff lantana, Lantana 'Miss Huff' 22. Obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana 23. Oxeye daisy, Heliopsis 24. Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea 25. Salvia 26. Spirea, Spiraea 27. Sunflower, Helianthus 28. Swamp hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus 29. Winterberry, Ilex verticillata 30. Witch hazel, Hamamelis vernalis
A couple of specific thoughts ... 1) till when it is rock hard. If you till when it is wet it only makes a mess. initially you'll be tilling often to break up the clay and mix material to give it texture. 2) Remember your manure should be well composted unless it is fall and you till it for spring planting. I think you may need more then just manure -- it may even be too rich for what you are trying to do which is give the soil better texture. 3) when you do plant, put straw or other mulch on top to keep moisture in (so it doesn't get rock hard and compacted from rains), to keep weeds down, and can also till in the fall. Hay is weedy but may do more good then harm ... if you have somethinf available that is better though, use it as one year of seed is 10 years of weed...
Thank-you For The Information. It Was Helpful. I Do Till When It Is Hard. I Put Manure On After The Season Is Over. It's Not Bad Once I'vetilled It Down . I Have Plenty Of Hay And Straw. We Cut Hay For The Cows And Horses Every Year. Dad Did Say It Would Take Awhile To Really Get The Ground Working. Again Thanks Mfievet
Buckwheat will have excellent results. Plant it densly and when it's grown, let the animals graze on it. The root system is emense and will help break through the clay.
I have just read the wonderful response to Tough Blue Clay from 'fourd'-June 2005 Thanks to you I now have a clear picture of what I must do to the 5 acres i have recently purchased in the Fort Langley area of British Columbia. I have also taken note of the plants which have been suggested fro Clay soil. Are there any fruits, veggies, edibles which are happy in clay? elle
Hi, I don't have an answer for your blue clay problem, but rather a question. I'm an artist doing research on pre-contact Native American pigments and I've been looking for sources of a blue pigment made from a clay. I am very interested in the geology of your surroundings and in obtaining some of that clay to use as pigment. Would you be willing to get hold of me and maybe we could arrange for me to get some of your clay (I only live across the border in Bellingham Washington? You can get hold of me by email at copperwomanstudio@gmail.com. Thank you Melonie Ancheta Copper Woman Studio
