On 10/08/2012 00:27, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Kay Lancaster wrote:
Treat clay soils with respect... they're difficult to grow on.

yes indeed.

D

A commonly held and vastly mistaken view, IMHO. Difficult to work
maybe. But they are not difficult to grow on at all, if you keep to a
couple of simple rules. Firstly, never try to plant anything when they
are soaking wet. Secondly, never try to plant anything when they are
bone dry. Clay is far more suited to growing many plants than sandy
soil; even those naturally found in sandy environments will often more
than just tolerate clay. I have grown heathers without problem, and
grown and fruited blueberries on clay (pH 6 - 6.5). I have even been
able to move plants which are said to really dislike being moved because
a great lump of clay sticks to the roots, and, to all intents and
purposes, the roots really haven't been disturbed at all. Try that with
sandy or even "highly desirable" loamy soil. The one plant I have given
up with on clay soil is grass. Where it is constantly wet, a lawn
simply ends up a mess, often with more moss than grass. The previous
owner of the house I moved in to had so much trouble he installed land
drains, but even those couldn't make a meaningful difference and in the
end I had the lawn removed (no great loss as I can't stand lawns anyway).

I live in the Sussex weald, and have been gardening on clay for over 25
years. And, believe me, Sussex clay is real clay. I have about 10
inches of claggy "soil" over a solid clay subsoil (solid with ironstone
lumps, that is. Even a pickaxe fails to penetrate some parts. and I have
to resort to a hammer drill if I want a deep hole). The most difficult
thing about gardening on clay is digging the damn stuff; it is /very/
hard work. It even sticks to stainless steel spades with a vengeance.
And when dry, don't even bother with a hammer drill - it's not worth the
effort. Wait until it's workable again.

But when it grows stuff, it is brilliant. It holds moisture; it holds
nutrients; it anchors. It tends to help withstand frosts much better
than lighter soils.

--

Jeff