And I mean clay, virtually no top soil.

On Mon, 03 May 2004 20:36:11 +0100, "aa ka"
wrote:

And I mean clay, virtually no top soil.

There is a faq on this, I think. But I have a soil which is clay
derived and still very clayey in part.

Forget me nots.

Grape hycinth are like a weed around here. Lilies of the valleys,
tulips and daffodils do very well. I think some tulips have
'naturalized,' they pop up in the oddest of places. They're not
really annuals, though. Hmmm.

Have a go with calendula and nigella, as well, they've self seeded all
over my tiny plot.

Whatever you plant, give it a good fork about with compost before you
put it in. When I grow annuals on my clay, the compost breaks it up,
then their roots seem to break it up a bit, and then by adding compost
again next time I plant them, it carries on breaking it up.

So, with digging in compost, I have also managed to grow bush
surfinia, tagetes, and antirihnium, however you spell them. I can't
think of any more annuals I have tried; I haven't been doing this very
long. The soil should also be good for roses if you dig it over very
well and add some well rotted manure. If you want to carry on with
the soil creating process, chuck a couple of sackfuls of well rotted
manure over the forked ground in November/December, and let the worms
pull it down before the next spring.

You want to avoid mediterranean type plants that would need a sandier
soil and better drainage.

Strangely enough, I have escholizia self seeding every year, as well.

Glenys

--
Semen is an anti-depressant.

"aa ka" wrote in message
...
And I mean clay, virtually no top soil.

I've grown Evening Primrose, Laveteria.

If all else fails try growing a few seeds in individual plant pots, (with a
few slugs pellets scattered on the top of each pot) - especially marigolds),
then sink the pots into the garden. (you don't need to bury them
completely, the foilage will hide the pots.

Try grasses in pots.

And I mean clay, virtually no top soil.

What ever you would like to grow! My current technique is to start them
in pots and when they are established I use a bulb planter thing which
removes a core of clay. I then pop the plan out of the pot and in to
the new hole. Looks to work OK. Well the plant seems to do nothing for
a week or two (probably devising a strategy for penetrating the clay)
and then it starts to grow again.


Mike