In article , supernanna.cal-SpamtraP-
lid says...

My garden has seen a lot of trampling by tradesmen over the past few
years. Retaining walls were destroyed, weeds, especially docks
flourished and, it seems, all draining material was washed away. The
garden is like a solid mass of clay.

Those responsible have agreed to "sort" the problem. They did dig it ov
er but the first heavy rain flattened it leaving puddles which didn't
drain for ages but did wash teh earth onto my paths: yewk: constant
cleaning and, as clay sticky so perpetually dragged through house.

They said they'd sort the drainage problem by digging in course sand.
However, I read somewhere that this would only serve to turn the clay to
a cement. It suggested that loam would also need to be incorporated
with the sand.

Can anyone advise on this?

The other matter is that they say they can't do that work just now as
it's a job for the Spring. Problem I see is that I will want it ready
for planting in Spring and given the lack of speed with which they work,
they could well call Summer, Spring. How early, ground being
sufficiently soft for digging of course, can I stipulate as a last date
for fixing.

I would have thought we'd want the last frosts to help break up the
earth to further help with drainage.

(Not really confident about using capitals at season names: dyslexia
rules KO!.)

All help on these matters gratefully received and much appreciated.




--
Me-G

My only dealings with clay soil lead me to believe its best left alone
during winter. digging in grit and humus (compost or manure) will help
but just avoiding walking on it and sticking to the paths along with
annual heavy mulching is as good as anything allthough its not a quick
fix.


--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea