"gary davis" wrote in message
...
On 5/10/04 12:08 PM, in article , "tuin
man"
wrote:


"Mike & Karen" wrote in message
...
Well I say clay soil, but really it is just clay. I'd probably be very
happy if I was a potter, but for growing veg I am finding it a bit of a
challenge.
My 6m x 9m veg plot is very heavy clay and the land has been unused for
some years.

Sniped.

So all this rambling for a simple question....

Far be it for me to judge.


What is going to do most good for my garden - a couple of tonnes of
horse much every year, or this year should i try a couple of tonnes of
sharp sand in the hope it will make the soil less claggy and more
sandy?
Or is there something else I could try to add?

Gypsum (from builders merchants) (plaster that is 100% gypsum)
1 bag should be enough for that space.

How long might it take to get the soil workable?

ooh it's quick.

Might, say, ... overnight be fast enough?

Patrick


Patrick
Adding gypsum solves a clay problem?

In as far as I know, it de-activates the salt content which is mostly
responsible for the stodginess.
I only ever had to apply it once.
The site in question was due to be turfed. 400sq m.
It had been compacted by heavy machinery (buldozers, dumper trucks,
excavtor... the usual).
The builders had incorporated a state of the art drainage system. I've never
seen such thought and care go into one.
Alas, the water couldn't get to it because the clay blocked the membrane and
mini ponds appeared.
But even when I eased this problem in select areas, the water just would
not leave the clay.
I decided to at least tackle the compaction by double digging . I would
shove the shovel into the ground and try to turn a spit that just wouldn't
let go. Then I'd try to move but each step was a contest with the clay. When
trying to extract a simple obstruction that might catch my rotovator tines,
it was like I was trying to excavte a mountain out of the ground. On one
occassion, I yanked out a broken paving slab and proceed to throw it towards
my wheelbarrow, which was foward and to the right of me. As you might have
guessed, I had become one with the slab and so when I flung my arms out to
throw it, my upper body went with it. My lower body remained stuck to the
clay around my feet and I landed arms outstretched, slapped face down into
the muck.
That evening I applied the gypsum.... about 2 bags to what I had dug and one
to the remainder.
No problems the next day. Rotovated as soon as it was all double dug and had
a nice tilt to rack . It's a lovely smooth lawn now.

Patrick
How does this work or did I miss
something?
Gary
Fort Langley BC
Canada

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