Hi,

I have clay-soil that gets baked on the South side of the house. I know
soil amendment and watering are in my future, but does anyone have any
advice for plants (perennials, shrubs, annuals) that like to have clay soil
but NOT be very moist?

Most clay-loving plants I've looked up like to be wet (usually clay soil
holds water well -sometimes too well). But, the "dry-feet" plants seem to
want sandy, well-drained soil.

Sigh. What do I do? Plant clay-loving plants and water like mad? Or plant
dry-feet plants and amend the soil like a maniac with sand and compost? Any
other options?
(Yes, I know -- native wildflowers and the "prairie" theme. I'll do it to
some extent, but I wanted a bit more cultivated look, since this is a small
place.) I live in Cleveland, OH -- zone 5.

WWYD? What would you do? :-)

Thanks,

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"

Your soil has the dreaded Marphistes virus. This is caused by the
Marphistes Mite which breeds in the summer and the females lay their
eggs in the fall in any nearby clay soils. The eggs hatch the next
spring and the larvae deposit their droppings throughout the soil. The
droppings react in much the same way that Portland cement does, serving
to bind the soil particles tightly together, thereby creating really
hard, nasty soil.

Go to your nearest pool supply store and purchase 10 gallons of muriatic
acid. Spray your soil thoroughly with this acid, followed by a spray
with Wisk laundry detergent. You won't see results right away, but just
take my word that it is doing something. If you have any remaining
muriatic acid, it makes a great substitute for vodka or gin in your
favortie cocktail.



pelirojaroja wrote:
Hi,

I have clay-soil that gets baked on the South side of the house. I know
soil amendment and watering are in my future, but does anyone have any
advice for plants (perennials, shrubs, annuals) that like to have clay soil
but NOT be very moist?

Most clay-loving plants I've looked up like to be wet (usually clay soil
holds water well -sometimes too well). But, the "dry-feet" plants seem to
want sandy, well-drained soil.

Sigh. What do I do? Plant clay-loving plants and water like mad? Or plant
dry-feet plants and amend the soil like a maniac with sand and compost? Any
other options?
(Yes, I know -- native wildflowers and the "prairie" theme. I'll do it to
some extent, but I wanted a bit more cultivated look, since this is a small
place.) I live in Cleveland, OH -- zone 5.

WWYD? What would you do? :-)

Thanks,

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"

"pelirojaroja" wrote:

Hi,

I have clay-soil that gets baked on the South side of the house. I know
soil amendment and watering are in my future, but does anyone have any
advice for plants (perennials, shrubs, annuals) that like to have clay soil
but NOT be very moist?

Most clay-loving plants I've looked up like to be wet (usually clay soil
holds water well -sometimes too well). But, the "dry-feet" plants seem to
want sandy, well-drained soil.

Sigh. What do I do? Plant clay-loving plants and water like mad? Or plant
dry-feet plants and amend the soil like a maniac with sand and compost? Any
other options?
(Yes, I know -- native wildflowers and the "prairie" theme. I'll do it to
some extent, but I wanted a bit more cultivated look, since this is a small
place.) I live in Cleveland, OH -- zone 5.

WWYD? What would you do? :-)

Thanks,

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"


I'd build planting berms. I've made plenty in my garden - I like the
rolling mounds look. In some places, I've dug pretty deeply into a
berm after 3 years or so of adding compost around the plantings and
found the clay underneath to be much improved. Getting worms busy in
the clay does wonders.

Otherwise, dandelions would grow fine in your conditions!

sam
pnw/z8

I tried something last year that may work for you with minimal effort. I
ended up making a planting bed three feet wide by 15 feet long and I wish I
had made it a little wider.

It is a raised bed method where you take a layer of large material ie.
sticks, twigs and such then cover with smaller material ie. chipped brush,
wood chips, then smaller stuff like composted wood chips, grass clippings
and then top off with a layer of soil. The bed should be about two feet
high at this point or higher. Keeping the bed wet will speed the process
but I live in an arid climate and was not willing to water an unplanted area
so I just let it sit for about six months over our wet winter period.
(note-I live in an area with mild winters and the ground does not freeze so
the bed was able to compost without much trouble)

This was an area of clay that was compacted by a dozer during some grading I
had done last year. It was solid as concrete and amending the soil would
have taken a herculean effort especially with our lack of rainfall last
year. When I went to plant some daylilies a few weeks ago, the bed had
turned into the most beautiful dark, rich soil. It was like magic. No
effort other than piling up the material and waiting for the rains, fungus
and worms to do their thing. It kind of made me feel like an idoit for all
the work I did the previous spring to start my vegetable garden in this same
area.

I read about this method in a book I highly recommend "Great Garden
Companions," by Sally Jean Cunningham. It is a german method of raised bed
planting called the Hugel method. For those of you with back problems or
other disabilities, this method can return the fun to gardening.

So now you don't have to limit yourself to clay loving plants or "dry-feet"
plants although I highly recommend xeriscaping anyway. I am planting all
drought tolerant plants and I am finding very few limitations. You can have
anything from an english country garden to a mediterranean masterpiece using
the right xeriscape material. It just takes a little more searching to find
the perfect plant for the perfect situation. Check out
highcountrygardens.com for some more advice and plant material for
xeriscaping. Good luck! Rick.


From: "pelirojaroja"
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 20:14:47 -0500
Subject: A conundrum

Hi,

I have clay-soil that gets baked on the South side of the house. I know
soil amendment and watering are in my future, but does anyone have any
advice for plants (perennials, shrubs, annuals) that like to have clay soil
but NOT be very moist?

Most clay-loving plants I've looked up like to be wet (usually clay soil
holds water well -sometimes too well). But, the "dry-feet" plants seem to
want sandy, well-drained soil.

Sigh. What do I do? Plant clay-loving plants and water like mad? Or plant
dry-feet plants and amend the soil like a maniac with sand and compost? Any
other options?
(Yes, I know -- native wildflowers and the "prairie" theme. I'll do it to
some extent, but I wanted a bit more cultivated look, since this is a small
place.) I live in Cleveland, OH -- zone 5.

WWYD? What would you do? :-)

Thanks,

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"

In article , "Richard L. Craven
Jr." wrote:

I tried something last year that may work for you with minimal effort. I
ended up making a planting bed three feet wide by 15 feet long and I wish I
had made it a little wider.

It is a raised bed method where you take a layer of large material ie.
sticks, twigs and such then cover with smaller material ie. chipped brush,
wood chips, then smaller stuff like composted wood chips, grass clippings
and then top off with a layer of soil. The bed should be about two feet
high at this point or higher. Keeping the bed wet will speed the process
but I live in an arid climate and was not willing to water an unplanted area
so I just let it sit for about six months over our wet winter period.
(note-I live in an area with mild winters and the ground does not freeze so
the bed was able to compost without much trouble)

This was an area of clay that was compacted by a dozer during some grading I
had done last year. It was solid as concrete and amending the soil would
have taken a herculean effort especially with our lack of rainfall last
year. When I went to plant some daylilies a few weeks ago, the bed had
turned into the most beautiful dark, rich soil. It was like magic. No
effort other than piling up the material and waiting for the rains, fungus
and worms to do their thing. It kind of made me feel like an idoit for all
the work I did the previous spring to start my vegetable garden in this same
area.

I read about this method in a book I highly recommend "Great Garden
Companions," by Sally Jean Cunningham. It is a german method of raised bed
planting called the Hugel method. For those of you with back problems or
other disabilities, this method can return the fun to gardening.

So now you don't have to limit yourself to clay loving plants or "dry-feet"
plants although I highly recommend xeriscaping anyway. I am planting all
drought tolerant plants and I am finding very few limitations. You can have
anything from an english country garden to a mediterranean masterpiece using
the right xeriscape material. It just takes a little more searching to find
the perfect plant for the perfect situation. Check out
highcountrygardens.com for some more advice and plant material for
xeriscaping. Good luck! Rick.

This struck me as such a fine, informative & helpful post!
Stuff that works & doesn't kill a body is always good to know.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

Great post! I will have to try this.

Question, though: the area in questions is along the back wall of my
house -- around the bay window area and the deck. Won't building beds near
the house cause drainage problems?

Thanks again for the great tip.

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"


"Richard L. Craven Jr." wrote in message
...
I tried something last year that may work for you with minimal effort. I
ended up making a planting bed three feet wide by 15 feet long and I wish
I
had made it a little wider.

It is a raised bed method where you take a layer of large material ie.
sticks, twigs and such then cover with smaller material ie. chipped brush,
wood chips, then smaller stuff like composted wood chips, grass clippings
and then top off with a layer of soil. The bed should be about two feet
high at this point or higher. Keeping the bed wet will speed the process
but I live in an arid climate and was not willing to water an unplanted
area
so I just let it sit for about six months over our wet winter period.
(note-I live in an area with mild winters and the ground does not freeze
so
the bed was able to compost without much trouble)

This was an area of clay that was compacted by a dozer during some grading
I
had done last year. It was solid as concrete and amending the soil would
have taken a herculean effort especially with our lack of rainfall last
year. When I went to plant some daylilies a few weeks ago, the bed had
turned into the most beautiful dark, rich soil. It was like magic. No
effort other than piling up the material and waiting for the rains, fungus
and worms to do their thing. It kind of made me feel like an idoit for
all
the work I did the previous spring to start my vegetable garden in this
same
area.

I read about this method in a book I highly recommend "Great Garden
Companions," by Sally Jean Cunningham. It is a german method of raised
bed
planting called the Hugel method. For those of you with back problems or
other disabilities, this method can return the fun to gardening.

So now you don't have to limit yourself to clay loving plants or
"dry-feet"
plants although I highly recommend xeriscaping anyway. I am planting all
drought tolerant plants and I am finding very few limitations. You can
have
anything from an english country garden to a mediterranean masterpiece
using
the right xeriscape material. It just takes a little more searching to
find
the perfect plant for the perfect situation. Check out
highcountrygardens.com for some more advice and plant material for
xeriscaping. Good luck! Rick.


From: "pelirojaroja"
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 20:14:47 -0500
Subject: A conundrum

Hi,

I have clay-soil that gets baked on the South side of the house. I know
soil amendment and watering are in my future, but does anyone have any
advice for plants (perennials, shrubs, annuals) that like to have clay
soil
but NOT be very moist?

Most clay-loving plants I've looked up like to be wet (usually clay soil
holds water well -sometimes too well). But, the "dry-feet" plants seem
to
want sandy, well-drained soil.

Sigh. What do I do? Plant clay-loving plants and water like mad? Or
plant
dry-feet plants and amend the soil like a maniac with sand and compost?
Any
other options?
(Yes, I know -- native wildflowers and the "prairie" theme. I'll do it
to
some extent, but I wanted a bit more cultivated look, since this is a
small
place.) I live in Cleveland, OH -- zone 5.

WWYD? What would you do? :-)

Thanks,

-- pelirojaroja
"dangerous redhead"

Yeah.. the method first proposed by Ruth Stout about 70 years ago. (BTW, sister of
Rex Stout). If you water the pile routinely, the breakdown time decreases
substantially. Ingrid

"Richard L. Craven Jr." wrote:
It is a raised bed method where you take a layer of large material ie.
sticks, twigs and such then cover with smaller material ie. chipped brush,
wood chips, then smaller stuff like composted wood chips, grass clippings
and then top off with a layer of soil.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

I sometimes dig holes in clay - you can actually arrange the clay around the
hole. Add leaf mold, compost etc. and then plant. Own root roses do very well
in this. Some of them are actually oasis (wild) roses from the Middle East.

Find a stump or log with a big hole in it. Place artistically. Fill the hole
and sides with good quality soil - leaf mold always works. Plant wildflowers
(especially on the shaded sides) and whatever you want. You can try sand in
this also.