I think it comes down to what you call clay soil. My garden has just solid, blue-grey clay, waterlogged in winter and like concrete in summer. The only way to make it useable was to dig in muck and grit. Many gardens have a lower proportion of clay or there is some air and nutrient material in there so worms and other creatures can operate. I'm this case, it is relatively easy to improve. It's all about drainage: Canada or Basingstoke. If your ground is healthy and well drained, you won't need grit!
I used grit on top of my pot of bulbs planted for Spring blooming in the hope that it would help deter the pesky squirrels that blight the garden. For once this pot escaped having its contents being dug up which I put down to the layer of grit. They were busy digging elsewhere but not there. (I also mixed some in with the compost because they say that tulips need good drainage. Whether they would have been exactly the same without it I couldn't really say...)
I think it comes down to what you call clay soil. My garden has just solid, blue-grey clay, waterlogged in winter and like concrete in summer. The only way to make it useable was to dig in muck and grit. Many gardens have a lower proportion of clay or there is some air and nutrient material in there so worms and other creatures can operate. I'm this case, it is relatively easy to improve. It's all about drainage: Canada or Basingstoke. If your ground is healthy and well drained, you won't need grit!
Quite how grit could improve drainage when mixed into soil, is beyond me! Unless you have tonnes of it.
Well, Wayside, it does lots of things, though you need muck, too. Clay is made up of tiny particles which are compressed into a very solid lump. It resists water so it doesn't drain well and in winter, when it becomes saturated it doesn't allow the water to flow through, creating water logging. Grit and muck break up the lumps, making tiny spaces to allow water and air into the soil. This makes it possible for nutrients to be released and worms and creepy crawlies can move in. Dead plant material which falls into the surface is pulled down and incorporated into the soil. Yes, may need a lot. It all depends on the size of the garden.
Pea gravel is much cheaper and readily available, and does a good job in big areas. Of course- once you have some plants in- they help too, assuming they're appropriate.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
But building sands are very precious and scarse, and it's probably more destructive to use than using peat. I'm guessing grit is by-product. I'd love some for cuttings etc, so what is the most eco-friendly option in the UK?
You wouldn't believe it if you saw how much sand is wasted on building sites (another problem partly caused by free roaming cats). Grit is easily recoverable from the soil in pots and top-dressings can be rinsed and reused almost infinitely.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Coarse sand is better for cuttings, I believe, rather than grit but building sand isn't suitable so no worries on that score. Any grit I use to top containers is washed and reused but obviously the stuff I dug into the soil doesn't come back out!
I've spent years gardening on incredibly heavy clay (dig deep enough and it's like Plasticine)
I found the only solution was double/triple digging with loads of compost/manure, addition of earth worms and persistent mulching all year round. After a few years you get a nice soil consistency.
We have lots of rain in the west of Scotland, and often very heavy, clay soil, but well rotted manure and lots of compost all mixed in over time, helps with drainage. It's also excellent for sandy soil as it does the opposite, and helps add substance.
Large parts of Canada have very similar conditions to Scotland, especially the west side. It's like Scotland- but a 'bigger' version.
Yes, it's like Scotland, and in ways other than geography. But at least locally, there is little or no clay. For sandy soil I use a composted mix of seaweed and hemlock, both available in huge quantities and sold as "sea soil".
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It's all about drainage: Canada or Basingstoke. If your ground is healthy and well drained, you won't need grit!
Quite how grit could improve drainage when mixed into soil, is beyond me! Unless you have tonnes of it.
Grit and muck break up the lumps, making tiny spaces to allow water and air into the soil. This makes it possible for nutrients to be released and worms and creepy crawlies can move in. Dead plant material which falls into the surface is pulled down and incorporated into the soil.
Yes, may need a lot. It all depends on the size of the garden.
Of course- once you have some plants in- they help too, assuming they're appropriate.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I found the only solution was double/triple digging with loads of compost/manure, addition of earth worms and persistent mulching all year round. After a few years you get a nice soil consistency.