I would love to start a conversation about gardeners who move in to brand new developments where the top soil is completely removed and there is nothing left but clay ( in my case) . I personally covered beds in cardboard, straw. leaves, and compost than began planting next season. I still know that clay is underneath and that is what my plants roots are growing in and wonder what others experienced in these situations.
Instead of trying to turn the subsoil into topsoil the most direct approach is to bring in new topsoil to replace that which was taken away.
You can always build raised beds to increase the amount of soil above the clay. This will also help with drainage.
Ron I brought in top soil and than introduced the lasagna method, think Im just being impatient it takes time. I believe I will always be gardening in clay soil and just have to accept it. pmurphy I personally don't like raised beds because of the further dependance you have on soil less mixtures, water and fertilizer, but realize the tons of pros associated with them.
A quick fix would be to litter the area with Gypsum (calcium sulfate), this disperses the clay particles, opens the soil up. Long term I would go for an organic soil conditioner, probably available at your local gardening center.
