Terry: you have done the right thing by adding lots of compost. You cannot change the underlying soil. You have ruled out drainage, which would dry things out considerably, so the best option is to plant clay tolerant plants. As has been said, work with what you've got. Yhere are many plants that do well in clay. Find yourself a list and go from there. Clay is actually very fertile once opened up, which you are doing. I've gardened on clay for many years; there are lots of plants you can grow.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
Final thought from one Noivce to another. i also have clay soil, which I swear any potter would kill for. The garden was established when we moved in, mainly with vinca and weeds!!
As a mature gardener I have neither the time or energy to dig in loads of manure etc into the garden. But every time I plant anything new I add lots of grits to the hole, compost and bonemeal to feed it and although it is taking time, it is gradually working in some of the areas I have planted up most.
Also I throw handfuls of grit over the garden when I weed (which is very frequently"!!) and that also seems to help.
Probably not what experienced gardeners would do, but seems to work for me.
I agree. Just deal with the area around what you're planting. Eventually, over time, these areas will join up into fertile beds and grow suitable heavy clay tolerant plants in the areas you haven't tackled.
I also empty spent compost from containers or from the compost heap onto the top of the soil and let the worms get on with it.
Just adding fibre improves any soil in time. Mine is a very fine sand that can form a hard pan. Just bunging in or on fibrous matter will help any soil. Then the worms can get started on it as well.
Back in the early 1950s My dad put a garden in a newly opened housing area in Wellingborough Northants. They had deep clay worthy of any potters wheel there. He broke several spades and forks on that stuff.
You have to put up with what you've got. I have similar conditions. The garden is like an ice rink in winter after substantial rain, you can't walk on the grass as the soil surface is so wet you can just slip over (clay is very slippy when soaked) and it's so hard in summer that great cracks appear in the soil. Because the clay holds so much water and prevents draining in winter, I think I have a lot less worms in the soil than would be ideal. And I have a lovely collection of slugs and snails.
My experience - roses do well, trees do well, bushes do well, honeysuckle does well, Clematis does well. The plant that has succulent type leaves and pink flowers whose name escapes me right now does well. Lavetera does well. Shrubs generally appear to like it. Daffodils and tulips are happy. Funnily enough the lavender does ok too.
Don't forget it's only wet clay in the winter. In the summer it's hard baked clay! I mulch with bark chips to the beds to try to retain some water in the summer, this will also break down over the years and get sucked into the soil.
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Terry: you have done the right thing by adding lots of compost. You cannot change the underlying soil. You have ruled out drainage, which would dry things out considerably, so the best option is to plant clay tolerant plants. As has been said, work with what you've got. Yhere are many plants that do well in clay. Find yourself a list and go from there. Clay is actually very fertile once opened up, which you are doing. I've gardened on clay for many years; there are lots of plants you can grow.
Ok great. Thanks for all your help and advice everyone. Very helpful.
Terry
Final thought from one Noivce to another. i also have clay soil, which I swear any potter would kill for. The garden was established when we moved in, mainly with vinca and weeds!!
As a mature gardener I have neither the time or energy to dig in loads of manure etc into the garden. But every time I plant anything new I add lots of grits to the hole, compost and bonemeal to feed it and although it is taking time, it is gradually working in some of the areas I have planted up most.
Also I throw handfuls of grit over the garden when I weed (which is very frequently"!!) and that also seems to help.
Probably not what experienced gardeners would do, but seems to work for me.
I agree. Just deal with the area around what you're planting. Eventually, over time, these areas will join up into fertile beds and grow suitable heavy clay tolerant plants in the areas you haven't tackled.
I also empty spent compost from containers or from the compost heap onto the top of the soil and let the worms get on with it.
Just adding fibre improves any soil in time. Mine is a very fine sand that can form a hard pan. Just bunging in or on fibrous matter will help any soil. Then the worms can get started on it as well.
Back in the early 1950s My dad put a garden in a newly opened housing area in Wellingborough Northants. They had deep clay worthy of any potters wheel there. He broke several spades and forks on that stuff.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
Thanks again for all your comments.
You have to put up with what you've got. I have similar conditions. The garden is like an ice rink in winter after substantial rain, you can't walk on the grass as the soil surface is so wet you can just slip over (clay is very slippy when soaked) and it's so hard in summer that great cracks appear in the soil. Because the clay holds so much water and prevents draining in winter, I think I have a lot less worms in the soil than would be ideal. And I have a lovely collection of slugs and snails.
My experience - roses do well, trees do well, bushes do well, honeysuckle does well, Clematis does well. The plant that has succulent type leaves and pink flowers whose name escapes me right now does well. Lavetera does well. Shrubs generally appear to like it. Daffodils and tulips are happy. Funnily enough the lavender does ok too.
Don't forget it's only wet clay in the winter. In the summer it's hard baked clay! I mulch with bark chips to the beds to try to retain some water in the summer, this will also break down over the years and get sucked into the soil.
Last edited: 09 August 2017 03:39:57
Great, thanks for your help.