does anyone have a suggestion for fixing clay soil so it is ready for late may planting of vegatables and flowers ?
Buy better soil and dump on top, plant in that. Quicker, more to the point and more lasting than amending existing soil with organic amendments (or tons of sand). For modern information about garden soil management scroll through this list, click on pertinent titles. http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda Chalker-Scott/Horticultural Myths_files/index.html After getting started with purchased topsoil you can add organic matter in future years to maintain good conditions for annually replaced vegetable crops.
I would recommend amending your soil, lots of tilling, its easier than dumping more soil on top. Make sure you add a good quality fertilizer to the soil. Not only is clay bad for waterlogging it hold onto cations preventing them from being available for plant nutrition. Make sure you till, and work the soil to the depth at which you expect rooting and fertilize appropriatley. Try a fertilizer that is a combination of fast and slow release (I recommend Seafood Buffet) that way you can be sure that your plants will get the initial nutrition the need, plus a sustained release.
