A beautiful garden starts with healthy soil.
A heavy clay soil presents a challenge to many gardeners. Flowers and shrubs thrive in loose, well-drained soil. Clay soils are slow to drain; they warm slowly in the spring and tend to be alkaline, making it difficult to grow many plants. According to Doug Green's Beginner Gardening, clay is the smallest particle of soil. These particles mesh together, making the soil dense. With a little effort, you can amend these soils and grow beautiful, healthy flowers and shrubs.
Instructions
1. Perform a percolation test to determine the percentage of clay in your soil. Dig a hole in your garden about 2 feet deep. Fill the hole with water and let it drain. Fill the hole with water again. According to Minnesota retail/wholesale nursery Bachman's, well-drained soil will drain in less than 12 hours. Soil that drains in 12 to 24 hours has a good percentage of clay. If it takes longer than 24 hours, your soil is mostly clay.
2. Measure the square footage of your garden to determine how much organic material you will need to amend your soil. Once you determine the area of your garden by multiplying length and width, you can determine the volume of amendment you will need. According to the University of Washington, if you want to add a 3-inch layer of amendment to your garden soil, divide 3 by 12 (a foot) and you'll get .25. Multiply the total area of your yard by .25 and you'll know how much amendment to purchase.
3. Loosen your soil with a shovel or garden tiller to a depth of 18 inches. Break up any large clumps of soil.
4. Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of coarse organic matter on the surface of your soil. Mix the organic matter into the soil with a tiller or a shovel. The organic matter will improve the drainage of your soil and as it breaks down, also correct the pH of your soil and add nutrients.
5. Spread 3 to 4 inches of coarse sand into the soil. Sand is important to improve drainage, especially if you have dense clay soil. Work the sand into the soil with a tiller or a shovel.
6. Rake your soil smooth, breaking up any large clumps.
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