In article ,
BrucUK wrote:
I have a lawn with clay underneath that floods every time it rains; it's
also full of tree roots.
I have killed the lawn off, built "edges" and a deck/pier to walk
around on. I plan to top-dress the old (now dead) lawn with homemade
compost and well-rotted horse manure to a depth of about 6 inches,
thereby introducing organic matter, and avoiding having to dig too
much. I have "loosened" the soil where possible.
Any thoughts? Anything wrong with this approach? I will not start
planting until next year (herbaceous shrubs, roses and annual
vegetables).
Is this a sensible strategy? Have I missed anything?
Thanks - Bruce
The clay barrier will still be there. The organic material will
decompose and disappear, and you'll be back to where you started.
Now if you could incorporate this organic material, and a few inches of
sand into the top 6" to 12" of soil (perhaps you could hire someone to
do it, or do it yourself in stages), you would provide soil microbes
with an environment where they could create even more (deeper) soil.
You would need to use organic fertilizers, like fish emulsion, to
occassionally give the soil community a boost in nitrogen. The ecology
of your soil will provide nitrogen from the life cycles of its microbes
(bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and worms (not to mention a large number of
arthropods). This nitrogen is locked into the soil. This community of
soil flora and fauna will encroach on the clay beneath it, creating even
more soil.
Chemical fertilizers kill large portions of this interdependent, soil
community. Moreover, chemical fertilizers are water soluble and are
easily flushed out of the soil with water to pollute waterways and local
drinking water sources. All studies on the effects of chemical
fertilizers on top soil, show loss of top soil.
I believe the above is a viable long term solution.
--
- Billy
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common denominator in our exploitative economic system.* ~Channing E. Phillips
Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Land
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http://i2.democracynow.org/2009/7/22/headlines#7