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Squelchy underfoot clay soil.

henrybrooks420no1TU37henrybrooks420no1TU37 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Good day everyone. Was looking for some advice please. I have a small garden, new build house, and I'm experiencing some soggy patches in the corner and top end of the garden.
So I'm looking to encourage drainage. My grand plan is to dig down a couple of inches and remove the clay soil.... and replace with some quality top soil, level it all off and then re seed grass. 

How does this plan sound? Should I put anything else down the encourage drainage, sharp sand etc??

All tips greatly appreciated. Thank you 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I have a similar problem where I intend to plant some shrubs.
    After building works I've found and area with very claggy clay that I need to improve.
    This article from the RHS has encouraged me to apply Composted Bark
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=620

    I'm going to get this -
    https://www.cpa-horticulture.co.uk/bark-mulch/composted-bark-fines

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    @Pete.8 i bought a load from the same supplier and can thoroughly recommend it. I bought a pallet of bags, shame youre not local to me as I have a few bags over. 
    With regard to the first post, be generous with it , in a 2.4m x 1.2 m raised bed I used 3 x 70litre bags.




  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    That's good to hear @K67
    I've just ordered 40 x 70L bags - arriving next friday, so no doubt by next saturday I'll be in agony after moving most of them 200ft to the end of my garden :)
    I've bought manure from them before and been very pleased with it, so I'm hoping the bark fines will loosen up my Essex clay

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    I garden on acidic heavy clay soil.  What I've learned over the last few years since I've started is not to fight it.  You'll only ever impact the uppermost layers anyway.  Plant things that like your soil, encourage insects to your garden and mulch regularly! 
  • henrybrooks420no1TU37henrybrooks420no1TU37 Posts: 3
    @FlyDragon from my little research ALOT of people recommend the same thing. 
    I just want a grass lawn though, Ha.


  • henrybrooks420no1TU37henrybrooks420no1TU37 Posts: 3
    @Pete.8 thanks for the advice. Will definitely look into this. 

    @k67 left over bags and a fellow leicestarian... need them taking off your hands?
  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    Pete.8 said:
    That's good to hear @K67
    I've just ordered 40 x 70L bags - arriving next friday, so no doubt by next saturday I'll be in agony after moving most of them 200ft to the end of my garden :)
    I've bought manure from them before and been very pleased with it, so I'm hoping the bark fines will loosen up my Essex clay
    If you can, buy or borrow a sack truck. Mine cost about £30 when we moved into our house 8 years ago and is one of the most used tools we have. 
    West Yorkshire
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    henrybrooks420no1TU37 said:
    @FlyDragon from my little research ALOT of people recommend the same thing. 
    I just want a grass lawn though, Ha.


    What do you want the lawn for?  If it kids to play I'd say get used to having muddy children and bare patches!  If its just for appearance or to keep a low maintenance area then just make sure you have a path, or stepping stones so that you don't have to walk on the grass to get to other areas of the garden.  It'll be dry as a bone in sunny spells and boggy in the winter!  The grass will grow though, and support insects. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Thanks @Pauline 7 - I have my great-grandfathers sack barrow that he used to deliver fruit and veg to Petticoat Lane market which is good for heavy moving. It's so old and heavy I can't even lift it. I often think about getting something more modern, but it did probably save my life a couple of years ago - having lifted my old creaky and extremely heavy solid wood up and over garage door, moments later the whole door fell off its runners and dropped straight down - thankfully I was kneeling down in the garage at the time and it was the sack barrow that took the hit rather than my head - the sack barrow didn't even notice.
    And the new garage doors are much better and a lot safer!

    The most painful shifting I done was when I had 40 x 70L bags of heavy manure to take up the garden. It was months before my shoulder recovered.
    The bark fines are likely to be a lot lighter, so I'm hoping I can get 2 bags a time in my new wheelbarrow and it'll be really easy..... :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    Ours came from B&Q , (other suppliers available) and has even come on holiday with us when we went camping.  Brilliant for taking the tent and equipment from car to pitch and fietching the large water bottle  back from the tap.
    West Yorkshire
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