Allow me to introduce myself . . . .
 

On 24/02/2012 22:51, RobertM wrote:
'Spider[_3_ Wrote:
;951898']On 22/02/2012 19:35, RobertM wrote:-
Thank you for your help guys, i read that it would be best to dig over
the garden and mix in mulch . . . . is that the correct thing to do ?

Also , would a Japanese Maple grow well in clay ?



-
Japanese Maples should be okay in improved clay (reasonable drainage
with good compost added), but if you follow the gypsum route then I'd
advise against it.

Japanese Maples also require some shade from the sun and shelter from
wind, as their natural environment is woodland, so you would also need
to provide these. I have a small Acer palmatum in my woodland garden on
clay and it is still struggling despite having a fair amount of
shelter.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

How do you prepare the soil for suitable drainage ?




Depends on heavy your clay is, but dig at least a spade's depth over a
much wider area than required just for the planting hole. Once you've
made your planting hole, fill it will water. If the water sits in the
hole for any length of time, you need to create more drainage. Using a
garden fork, spear the base and sides of the planting hole deeply and
wiggle the fork around to widen the holes you've created. This should
allow the water to drain away.

Improve the spoil (earth removed from the hole when digging) with sharp
grit, leaf mould (or other good compost) and bonemeal. If your clay is
really claggy, build a mound in the base of the hole to site the tree on
and spread its roots over, so that drainage is further improved. Begin
to backfill the hole with the improved 'spoil'. Stop about half way and
give the tree a really good watering, which will help to settle the soil
around the roots. Then continue to backfill the hole until the soil
surface is level with the original soil mark near the base of the tree.

If you have foxes in your area, they may try to dig up the bonemeal
(believing it to be a bone), so for a while at least it is a good idea
to stack a few bricks or small slabs over the immediate planting area.
They won't need to be there forever, but I find it helps in the short term.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay