Clay Soil Landscaping Tips
By: Gene Rodriguez, III
Clay soil is made up of very fine mineral particles. These fine particles are good at retaining nutrients and water-too good, in fact.
Clay Soil Garden
Even if you're stuck with heavy, clay soil, you can grow a lovely garden.
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Clay soils are a problem for a number of reasons. Many garden plants cannot tolerate heavy clay soils. The particles of clay are so fine that the roots of plants cannot penetrate the spaces between them.
Clay soil offers many problems to gardeners. It is water retentive, drains slowly and compacts to rock form when dried. Because of these issues, many plants cannot be safely grown in clay soil.
Clay soils with a magnesium base saturation over 20 percent should be amended with calcitic lime.
Clay soil is one of the most difficult conditions a gardener can face. Dense and slippery when wet, it's even more of a challenge as it bakes brick solid when dry.
Plants for Clay Soil
Posted by Mallory Portman in Garden Plant Lists ...
Perennials for clay soil are much fewer in number than those that demand good drainage.
The problem with clay is that it holds moisture and this tends to rot out the roots of all but the toughest of plants.
Creating a Perennial Garden in Clay Soil
Even several years ago, gardeners faced with heavy clay were usually given back breaking advice. The experts advised stripping off the sod and digging down approximately 12 inches.
For clay soils Larry has worked in 1 part compost (or well rotted cow/alpaca manure) to 2 parts sphagnum peat moss to 2 parts soil. He also adds 1 cup of blood meal, and 1 cup of bone meal for every 10 square feet of garden bed.
Top 10 Plants for Clay Soil
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Clay Soil. Clay particles are small and flat. They tend to pack together so tightly that there is hardly any pore space at all. When clay soils are wet, they are sticky and practically unworkable.
Clay Soils
Soils made mostly of clay are called heavy soils and are much harder to dig. The clay particles clump together, and clay becomes hard and brick-like when dried out.
Clay Soil - The heaviest soil classification, composed of closely packed particles that allow less water and air movement through the soil. Clay soils cool slowly, warm slowly, and can hold large volumes of nutrients.
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Clay soils hold water too tightly, and sandy or rocky soils lose it too quickly. Working organic matter into these soils can make them more productive. This is called amending the soil.
Clay soil: Add organic material such as compost or peat moss. Till or spade to help loosen the soil. Since clay soil absorbs water very slowly, water only as fast as the soil absorbs the water.
Clay soils of metro areas retain much moisture and we provide additional landscape watering. Mountain soils generally are drier and well-drained. Metro soils are alkaline, mountain soils generally are acidic, which makes iron more available to plants.
Clay soil has the smallest soil particles (less than .0001-inch diameter) and the least amount of water and air spaces between particles. Consequently, a soil with at least 50 percent clay will have all the opposite characteristics of sand.
Clay soil - this is sticky to handle and can be easily rolled into a ball shape. It is naturally high in nutrients so plants that like these conditions should do particularly well. It does pose some problems.
CLAY SOIL: A soil containing from 30 to 100 percent clay. It is fine-textured and sticky when wet.
CLIMBERS: Those gardeners who are willing to hike for distances to see an alpine specimen.
Clay soils appear heavy and dense. The soil particles are small and tightly bound together. When wet, clay is sticky and easily holds together when squeezed in your hand.
Clay soil, composed of tiny particles that cling together readily holds moisture and locks air out. Typically it feels heavier than sandy soils because it holds water so well.
clay soils - 16 cubic feet = 2-inch layer of compost
Sandy soils - 24 cubic feet = 4-inch layer of compost ...
Clay soils can hold as much as 4 inches of water in the top foot of soil. Therefore, these fine-textured soils should be watered thoroughly but not too frequently.
In clay soils, compost helps break up dense particles, improving structure and drainage. In sandy soils, it helps increase moisture retention. Whatever type of soil you have, compost plays a big role in boosting soil fertility.
Fix Clay Soil
Is it okay to use packing peanuts to loosen heavy clay
Fix Clay Soil ...
With clay soils, it will aerate and loosen it.
If you have a mixture of soil like me that varies from clay to sandy in the space of a few feet, this is a huge help to stabilize your soil.
Clay: A clay soil tends to be cold, sticky when wet and as hard a iron when it drys out. Water does not run through a clay soil easily.
Clay: Clay soils are made up of tiny particles that cling together and subsequently cling well to water. To help determine how much of your soil is clay, you can simply take a handful of your soil and try to squeeze it together.
Improving Clay Soil In Your Yard
How to Easily & Organically Improve Your Clay Soil
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Breaking up Clay Soil
Barbara asks, "Many years ago I used gypsum pellets to break up clay soil. We can not find them anymore but the problem of the hard packed clay soil still exists. Is there a different product that will solve this problem?" ...
Calcareous or clay soils are almost impossible to modify sufficiently for blueberries. Blueberry enthusiasts with unsuitable soils should grow plants in tubs using a potting soil high in peat moss.
I live in a clay soil area in the south west of WA and have a large collection of eucalyptus leaves that I have had decomposing for a year and a half.
How to Improve Clay Soil - Understanding and Improving Clay Soil
Clay
Soil
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If you have heavy clay soil, the water lays there, and the soil underneath becomes very compacted, and the problem compounds it's self. The more water that stands, the worse the drainage gets.
One solution for clay soil is to build a better bed on top of it! In the "Quick Fix for Poor Soil" story in issue 66, I shared an easy way to build a berm to rise above problem soil.
Adobe - heavy clay soil, not suitable for container gardening or hydroponics.
Aeration - supplying growing mediums and roots with air or oxygen.
If you have a heavy clay soil, you may find it easier to grow your vegetables in raised beds. Not only does the soil drain freely,...
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They do NOT like clay soils. The first thing I would do would be to get your Ph tested. There are inexpensive test kits available, which will easily and quickly tell you the Ph of your soil. Many nurseries will test your Ph for free.
For succulents, I recommend mixing two-thirds commercial potting mix with one-third chicken grit or turface (a baked clay soil conditioner similar to crushed terracotta).
Even in heavy clay soils, a liner is necessary. You can buy rigid pond liners in a variety of shapes; they are quite durable, and some may even include built-in waterfalls.
In the Rocky Mountain and Intermountain regions that receive less than 20 inches of precipitation annually, cacti usually grow well in heavy clay soils as well as sandier soils.
Materials such as sand, finely ground bark, vermiculite or perlite can be added to clay soil to improve soil conditions and provided better air space for roots. Composted organic matter and organic mulching materials also help.
Avoid clay soil, a wet soil can lead to rot as well as invite other problems such as iris borer.
The best time to plant bearded iris in mid-July through September and in areas with hot summers and mild winters, September/ October.
The next step was to break up the clay soil and add organic material to support the plants. Thankfully, I had recently bought Andy Sturgeon's 'Planted' and it proved to be an indispensable resource on soil types.
They generally avoid heavy, dry clay soils. They construct extensive underground passageways (shallow surface tunnels) for spring, summer and fall; and deep, permanent tunnels for winter use.
They grow in sandy and clay soils and require average watering. The soil should be slightly alkaline pH to acidic. They grow slowly and do better when placed in areas that are protected from the winter winds and in winter shade.
To increase yields consider raised-bed gardening especially where space is limited or clay soil is in abundance. Keep your raised-beds 5 feet wide or less for easy reach.
But with heavier clay soils it's important to loosen the soil beneath the bulb so that the roots can easily penetrate the soil.
By working a good mulch or compost into a heavy clay soil you will be opening the soil up and allowing water to more easily penetrate.
Mulching also improves the look of your beds, for dry soil is often unattractively pale and on clay soil is often unattractively pale and on clay soil large cracks usually appear as the surface dries out.
If it sticks together easily, it is high in clay, if it simply falls apart, it is probably has a lot of sand. Clay soils don't drain well and are difficult for the roots to penetrate. Sandy soils drain well but don't retain nutrients.
or medium loam soils, but on clay soils can often produce a polished pan beneath the
surface at a spade's depth, thereby creating drainage and rooting problems. Most
models are driven by petrol engines.
Core aeration reduces compaction in heavy clay soils, permits a more rapid exchange of oxygen and water with grass roots and reduces the thatch layer on lawns.
Do not over water, esp. in clay soil. This can lead to root rot.
Do not plant too deeply. Plant at the same depth the hydrangea was planted in the pot. (see diagram below)
Plant in early summer or fall.
Compost actually improves soil structure; it loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. For those committed to organic growing methods, it is a good replacement for commercial fertilizers. And it's cheap.
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This is common with clay soils. But, other garden soils can become compacted, too. Compacted soils are difficult for roots to grow in. It also makes it difficult for oxygen, water and fertilizers to spread through the soil and reach the roots.
Heavy clay soils can be improved by raising the beds and adding compost and humus.
However, clay soils can be amended by adding mulched up leaves and manure. French herbs especially need a lot of direct sunlight and regular watering.
-- as an amendment to loosen clay soil (along with compost); or to mix with sphagnum peat moss to create potting or starting medium.
 See also: Soil, Plant, Water, Planting, Growing
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