"BrucUK" wrote in message
...

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


If water puddles on your clayey lawn area now simply adding a top dressing
won't help, whenever it rains you'd just have more volume of soupy mud...
you need to get down below the clay so it can perc or devise some way to
drain the water away. My first cause of action would be to attempt a deep
rototilling in hopes of getting below the clay. Next attempt would be to
create drainage away from that area, perhaps with a series of trenches that
hold perforated pvc pipe and covered with gravel... essentially creating a
leaching field. Then add a good thick layer of rich soil. But odds are
that clay runs deep rather than shallow. To me it seems like you may want
to do something different with that area rather than planting a lawn,
perhaps an attractive flagstone patio built on a porous base. Good luck.