I want to cut a small bed from the lawn near the kitchen door to grow a few
culinary herbs. The bed will be at waist height because the lawn is up
behind a retaining wall. The subsoil is solid red clay. The position is a
good sunny spot in SW uk. I want to plant mediterranean type Herbes de
Provence which I believe require a sandy well drained soil which I
absolutely do not have. The size of the bed will only be say 6' x 2' so I
don't mind a bit of digging out or buying sand or loam, but what is the best
way to ensure drainage between the wall and the clay, and what is a good way
to mix or obtain the correct type of soil (whatever that is)?

tia, Tim /w

On 25 Feb, 20:05, "Tim W" wrote:
I want to cut a small bed from the lawn near the kitchen door to grow a few
culinary herbs. The bed will be at waist height because the lawn is up
behind a retaining wall. The subsoil is solid red clay. The position is a
good sunny spot in SW uk. I want to plant mediterranean type Herbes de
Provence which I believe require a sandy well drained soil which I
absolutely do not have. The size of the bed will only be say 6' x 2' so I
don't mind a bit of digging out or buying sand or loam, but what is the best
way to ensure drainage between the wall and the clay, and what is a good way
to mix or obtain the correct type of soil (whatever that is)?

It would have been great if you could have done this in the autumn,
but there's still time to dig in and let the soil open to the elements
for a few weeks, let the rain work on the clay clods. Then add plenty
of organic manure, or your own made compost or mushroom compost. Well
drained is the key here and the om will help with breaking the clay.
That would be all I'd do for herbes.

--
"La Puce" wrote in message
ps.com...
On 25 Feb, 20:05, "Tim W" wrote:
I want to cut a small bed from the lawn near the kitchen door to grow a
few
culinary herbs. The bed will be at waist height because the lawn is up
behind a retaining wall. The subsoil is solid red clay. The position is a
good sunny spot in SW uk. I want to plant mediterranean type Herbes de
Provence which I believe require a sandy well drained soil which I
absolutely do not have. The size of the bed will only be say 6' x 2' so I
don't mind a bit of digging out or buying sand or loam, but what is the
best
way to ensure drainage between the wall and the clay, and what is a good
way
to mix or obtain the correct type of soil (whatever that is)?

It would have been great if you could have done this in the autumn,
but there's still time to dig in and let the soil open to the elements
for a few weeks, let the rain work on the clay clods. Then add plenty
of organic manure, or your own made compost or mushroom compost. Well
drained is the key here and the om will help with breaking the clay.
That would be all I'd do for herbes.

I would do the same but also add grit or cousre sand.

Cheers Keith
Nottingham

g'day tim,

all we did for our herb bed on clay soil was to spread a heap of
gypsum lay fairly thick newspaper and then pile up some clay dirt we
had left over from some light excavating, we added gypsum along the
way, topped it with mushroom compost and then mulched heavily with
sugar cane mulch but you could use and sort of hay or straw.

the herbs are loving it.

there is a stay pic' or 2 on our straw bale garden page.



On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:05:08 GMT, "Tim W"
wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/