Clay soil hardens like cement and cracks when dry.
The quality and texture of soils vary from region to region. Some soils are clay, while others are sandy, silt, loam or a mixture. Clay soil is comprised of 50 percent clay particles that are smaller than silt or sand particles. Although this soil retains moisture and nutrients well, it is considered the bane of many gardeners because it offers a poor growing environment for most grasses. There are several problems with lawn grasses grown on clay soils.
Poor Drainage
One of the biggest problems faced by a lawn with clay soil is poor drainage. Most grasses prefer well-drained soils. Individual clay particles have very little space in between, making it difficult for water to penetrate the soil below. Clay soil allows rain or irrigated water to pool at the top, causing the area to become muddy and weakening the roots of grass, depriving them of oxygen and making them susceptible to root rot. When the water slowly penetrates the soil, the clay particles remain saturated for longer because of the slow drainage rate in comparison to other types of soils that dry out sooner.
Improve drainage and aeration by adding shovelfuls of organic matter such as compost to the clay soil.
Density
Clay soils are extremely dense and compact in nature due to the size of the particles. Roots of grasses cannot penetrate this soil easily, which is why they are shallow and susceptible to a variety of problems. Shallow-rooted grasses have weak foundations and are subject to damage by a host of pests and diseases. Lawns on clay grasses are also easily damaged by drought, external stresses and foot traffic.
Aerate clay soil frequently to improve drainage and prevent compaction. Also, add a soil conditioner such as gypsum, builder's sand or organic compost to reduce heaviness.
Heaviness
Clay soil becomes sticky when wet and as hard as cement when dry; with various-sized cracks running along the surface. This fluctuation in soil temperature is harmful to lawn grass roots, weakening them severely. Also, it takes longer for clay soils to warm up in early spring in comparison to other soils because of their heaviness. Since the arrival of spring for plants is determined by soil temperature and not air temperature, this delay in soil heating time shortens the growing season for lawns, giving a gardener less time to establish and strengthen the grass.
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