On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:49:46 -0500, "Mindful"
wrote:


"Tony Pacc" wrote in message
...
The previous owner made a flower bed of mostly clay soil,it has about 2"
mulch,is there any way I can improve this soil without removing all that
mulch,like putting manure on top of the mulch hoping it will work it's way
into the soil.Its a pretty large area if I have to remove all that mulch.



It will improve the soil much faster if you dig the mulch in to at least a
foot deep. Mix it well with the soil. Adding some peatmoss and sand will
help loosen the clay. Adding rotted manure or compost from stores like Home
Depot will make a difference. Our soil is a heavy red clay. After 13 years
of adding organic matter to the flower beds and veggie patch you would never
know it.

Yep. We had heavy clay soil that I first mistook for concrete

It took a couple of years, but after adding soil conditioner, peat
moss, compost, and just about anything organic (even gutter crud), the
soil turns much more easily. Though it's still hard to get anything
other than the most indestructible plants to grow there (lantana is
doing very well), it was definitely worth the effort.

Dig deep. Don't rush. Let the elements take whatever time they need.

--Nan