Clay soil can be a green thumb's worst nightmare. The hard, slick soil resists water penetration and creates drainage problems. Bone meal is often used as a lawn fertilizer, but unfortunately doesn't improve clay conditions. There are ways to combat low quality clay and help improve your lawn.
Bone Meal
Bone meal is created by drying and grinding animal bones. This powder is very high in phosphorus and calcium, with the calcium helping to reduce the acidity of soil.
Bone Meal and Clay
Bone meal does little to help break down or aerate clay soil. It also does not filter down by itself very well, so if it is used for phosphorus enrichment, fork or mix it into the soil.
Bone Meal Uses
According to The-Organic-Gardener.com, bone meal can help new bulbs establish roots quickly and help legumes fix nitrogen in their root nodules.
Alternative Solutions: Gypsum
Clay can be improved by a regimen of gypsum applied once a year at 40 pounds per 1,000 square feet. The gypsum filters through the soil on its own, so surface application is fine.
Alternative Solution: Sand
Don Chapman, president of Bio-Organics Ltd., recommends adding plenty of sand to clay mixtures, which will result in a much crumblier and better soil after a few seasons. Consider aerating the soil before application to help improve penetration, and coupling with a gypsum regimen.
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