Here in the UK a lot of people struggle with having clay soil, what to do with it, how to break it down and what can be grown in it. We have pulled together the best of all the advice to help you out with your FAQ of What do you recommend with clay soil to help you on your way.
What is clay soil?
Clay soil is just soil that contains a higher ratio of clay than other materials, it feels stickier and more dense than other types of soil and forms a smooth texture when rubbed between your fingers.
Why is clay soil a problem?
Clay soils are a problem because they tend to have poor drainage, are harder to work with and warm up slowly due to the compactness of the ground; making it difficult for yourself and your crop.
What to do with clay soil?
Although there are down sides to clay soil, there are also benefits being that clay soil tends to but richer in nutrients and holds water well. It's just about how you amend the soil to make use of these benefits!
A lot of gardeners with clay soil use raised beds, as this allows you to use external sources of soil without having to amend the ground itself. However, this is an expensive method and not always the best method as you're not taking advantage of all the benefits within the earth.
What amendments can be used with clay soil?
The most common method for amending the clay soil is to add sharp sand, it's an inexpensive way of creating air pockets in the soil; which will allow your crop to root deep.
If budget is less of an option then it is always recommended to add lots of organic matter and compost, over time the soil will have less of a ratio of clay to sand and will be more usable.
The best and only method we recommend for this is the no dig method, topping the ground every year with a few inches of compost or organic matter to allow the soil to build over time. This is a slow and steady method, a marathon not a spring, and takes lots of time; so if you are impatient then raised beds is probably the best solution.
The most comment amendments for clay soil are:
- Compost (various)
- Horse manure (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium)
- Chicken poop (nitrogen)
- Coffee grounds (nitrogen)
- Sand (air pockets)
- Egg shells (calcium)
Layering soil
A lot of people use a layering method when topping soil, for which they layer different materials to get a thriving soil which is brilliant for bugs, animals, crop and the environment.
1) Use newspapers, cardboard and other carbon mulches and water well
2) Cover carbon mulches with soil / compost / organic matter and water well
3) Add coffee grounds / egg shells or any other nutrient addition and water well (If you read our tips & tricks: compost there's a more diverse list for this section)
4) Leak for 8+ weeks
After 8+ weeks the worms will have done all the hard work for you, will have broken down the paper / mulch, coffee grounds and any other matter added. This will allow for good drainage and greatened worm population.
