I use grit and muck. But I disagree with @K67. Waterlogged soil IS a problem which affects everything you do and grow. The more you understand, the more hope of success.
Not if you plant things that like their feet wet.. problem solved, no?
No, not solved for 2 reasons. One is that it is limiting and the other is that clay tends to dry out in summer so you have to find plants that tolerate both extremes. And you may take my word for it, that's a challenge.
@Chris-P-Bacon said "Not if you plant things that like their feet wet.. problem solved, no?"
Heavy clay is virtually waterproof in the winter ... nothing will drain through it. However, in the summer it cracks and everything drains through it. It can change from a pond to a desert in a couple of months, maybe less. Fields of wheat can be parched and dying after a few days of sunshine on a clay soil.
I grew up on the clay fields of High Suffolk... in the winter the clay was so sodden it couldn't be ploughed .... even fields on the higher areas had standing water on them. the famous Suffolk Punch horses have no hairy 'feather' around their hooves like Shire horses do ... if they did their legs would become so weighted down with wet clay clinging to it that they'd be unable to move.
Only by years and years of applying layer after layer of manure, and laying efficient land-drains, have they been able to turn what was some of the most unprofitable farmland in the country into some of the most valuable and highly productive.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In the last 20 years I have had 4 gardens all on clay of various colours, one a beautiful red as Ibstock Bricks was behind us. I have also had a sandy garden, so pure it was used in building the extension and I would prefer clay over sand any day. I don't find it limiting any more than having a shady garden after having a garden that was in full sun all day. The plant world caters for all situations.
I understood the OP had dug down and removed a lot of clay out and was going to backfill with a good mix of top soil. I am sure he mentioned 2,5ft down. This would give him a really good depth to plant into and also could use raised beds or mound up as previously suggested. Water collecting at that depth won't affect smaller plants and doubt even a tree would be harmed as a reservoir of water would surely be beneficial.
In the garden I have now this is what I have done, digging some clay out in areas where I wanted deeper rooted shrubs and climbers It's so satisfying lifting large chunks out you could make pots with! I expect if i dug down I would still find water, in fact I removed a water feature reservoir and the clay underneath was water logged but in the last 3 years it has had no effect on the planting around the feature at all as the area was back filled with bought in top soil mixed with the builders soil and manure. I can't get my head round all the pipe business the OP is doing but if it works that's great but nobody can say and until we have a few downpours you wont know for sure.
No, not solved for 2 reasons. One is that it is limiting and the other is that clay tends to dry out in summer so you have to find plants that tolerate both extremes. And you may take my word for it, that's a challenge.
A few simple improvements & working with what you have can make a great garden IMHO. Saves all this drainage palaver if you ask me. FWIW my garden is clayey topsoil on about 5m of grey silty clay. I've added organic material for the last 5 years. It's still poorly drained but better than it was. It floods in winter. In summer (late May to early August in reality) the surface dries but dig down 3 inches and it's still damp. I found the "challenge" of growing suitable plants very enjoyable. I've made some howling mistakes but generally I know what does well & what doesn't. My marsh marigolds are looking good now & later the purple loosestrife puts on a great show. The gunnera of course keeps getting bigger n bigger n bigger. :-)
Well, you are lucky to keep the moisture. We have standing water in winter but severe drought in summer. I have spent 30 years working on it and some success, but I cannot alter the water table nor prevent these endless droughts. The RHS list isn't enormously helpful for extremes. They don't even describe what I call clay soil. I believe the word is hypoxic.
Well, you are lucky to keep the moisture. We have standing water in winter but severe drought in summer. I have spent 30 years working on it and some success, but I cannot alter the water table nor prevent these endless droughts. The RHS list isn't enormously helpful for extremes. They don't even describe what I call clay soil. I believe the word is hypoxic.
Aquatic hypoxia is low dissolved oxygen in water. Do you mean thixotropic? Firm when undisturbed yet fluid when agitated? Or anaerobic - no oxygen?
Did you scroll down the RHS website? I think they list other plants that may tolerate wet and dry conditions.
Anaerobic. Almost nothing can live in it. Plants cannot access oxygen, or nutrients. they rot in standing water and dry out in summer. You have to raise the level to reduce standing water and add tons of muck and grit to introduce drainage, space, oxygen, worms and bugs. But there are still many difficulties when the water table is high or springs run through the garden or in times of drought so the selection of plants is critical. Moisture lovers struggle in summer, while others can't take the wet. So many 'experts' tell you how nutritious clay is, plant roses, they cry. They should try it on my soil, 30 years ago....
Ah I see. Probably, strictly speaking edging toward a silt rather than a clay. Sticky slimey silt can a be bit sole destroying trying to grow anything in I'll grant you that. Probably why it dries out so fast in summer. I bet it almost turns to dust.
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Heavy clay is virtually waterproof in the winter ... nothing will drain through it. However, in the summer it cracks and everything drains through it. It can change from a pond to a desert in a couple of months, maybe less. Fields of wheat can be parched and dying after a few days of sunshine on a clay soil.
I grew up on the clay fields of High Suffolk... in the winter the clay was so sodden it couldn't be ploughed .... even fields on the higher areas had standing water on them. the famous Suffolk Punch horses have no hairy 'feather' around their hooves like Shire horses do ... if they did their legs would become so weighted down with wet clay clinging to it that they'd be unable to move.
Only by years and years of applying layer after layer of manure, and laying efficient land-drains, have they been able to turn what was some of the most unprofitable farmland in the country into some of the most valuable and highly productive.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In the last 20 years I have had 4 gardens all on clay of various colours, one a beautiful red as Ibstock Bricks was behind us. I have also had a sandy garden, so pure it was used in building the extension and I would prefer clay over sand any day.
I don't find it limiting any more than having a shady garden after having a garden that was in full sun all day. The plant world caters for all situations.
I understood the OP had dug down and removed a lot of clay out and was going to backfill with a good mix of top soil. I am sure he mentioned 2,5ft down. This would give him a really good depth to plant into and also could use raised beds or mound up as previously suggested. Water collecting at that depth won't affect smaller plants and doubt even a tree would be harmed as a reservoir of water would surely be beneficial.
In the garden I have now this is what I have done, digging some clay out in areas where I wanted deeper rooted shrubs and climbers
It's so satisfying lifting large chunks out you could make pots with!
I expect if i dug down I would still find water, in fact I removed a water feature reservoir and the clay underneath was water logged but in the last 3 years it has had no effect on the planting around the feature at all as the area was back filled with bought in top soil mixed with the builders soil and manure.
I can't get my head round all the pipe business the OP is doing but if it works that's great but nobody can say and until we have a few downpours you wont know for sure.
Do you mean thixotropic? Firm when undisturbed yet fluid when agitated?
Or anaerobic - no oxygen?
Did you scroll down the RHS website? I think they list other plants that may tolerate wet and dry conditions.