Soil with good drainage is an important requirement for creating a beautiful garden. Some gardeners are fortunate to live in areas with rich black soil, but in many parts of the country, clay-based soil is the norm. Clay soil is dense and compact. Water and air cannot move through it easily, seedlings struggle to break through the hard surface, and it can cause your plants' roots to be stunted. To successfully garden in clay soil, you must be prepared to spend time amending the soil with organic matter. This will make it a better growing environment for your plants.
Instructions
1. Turn the soil in your garden site with a shovel to loosen it. Dig 8 to 12 inches down from the surface so that you can get good penetration and then turn that soil over. Turning clay soil this way helps to aerate the soil and makes it easier for you to amend it with the organic matter.
2. Remove any large rocks, stones, sticks, or debris you may have found while digging. Use the shovel to break apart any obviously large clumps of soil. Once you have broken down any large clumps, drag the shovel across the area to flatten and level the garden area.
3. Cover the leveled garden with topsoil and the organic material. Spread the topsoil and organic materials completely over the area. Be sure to distribute evenly. Once you have completely covered the garden site with topsoil and organic material, use the shovel to turn the soil again. You want to work the soil so that the top 6 to 8 inches of soil contain a mixture of clay and organic material. When the topsoil and organic material are appropriately mixed into the garden, use the shovel to level the area again.
4. Soak the garden area with water and let it rest for a week. At that point, check the soil to verify that it has been amended sufficiently. First observe the surface and note if you see any cracks or fissures; these are a sign that the clay is still too heavy. Next, dig into the soil. The soil should be a firm but not stiff texture. If the soil is still tightly compacted and difficult to dig into, you should repeat the amending process with more organic matter.
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