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Hard clay soil. Laying new turf

glarhzillaglarhzilla Posts: 12
in Problem solving
Hi all. I posted around a year ago regarding some work I've been doing in the garden. I'm now at the point of continuing the work(had an injury that held me up) I've dug alot of earth out of my garden and just have a clay plot now. I'm interested in laying turf on this area and would need some confirmation and advice as what would he my best plan of attack to get it useable etc...this is what I have in mind.

Rotivate current clay.(how deep roughly to aid with drainage etc?)
Add compost and rotivate in with the clay.
Add top soil .
Then lay turf?

Does this sound about right?

Thanks 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I don't know how best you should proceed, but I created a new border on almost solid clay soil and read an RHS article that suggested composted bark as being the best option to free-up a clay soil.
    I dug lots in earlier this year and I'm surprised at how well it has worked all ready.
    Good luck!
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=620

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • hatty123hatty123 Posts: 125
    edited June 2021
    I'm not sure that rotovating the clay soil on its own is going to help drainage, it will settle and compact again. I've got clay soil although haven't had to start from scratch like you, I would make sure theres plenty of top soil before you lay turf and i would think it'll be ok.
    Have you checked what the drainage is like? I remember seeing on a gardening program (not GW) where you dig a hole, fill with water and see how quickly it drains away.
  • glarhzillaglarhzilla Posts: 12
    Pete.8 said:
    I don't know how best you should proceed, but I created a new border on almost solid clay soil and read an RHS article that suggested composted bark as being the best option to free-up a clay soil.
    I dug lots in earlier this year and I'm surprised at how well it has worked all ready.
    Good luck!
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=620
    Ah brilliant. I'll give that a read. Thank you for your time 
  • glarhzillaglarhzilla Posts: 12
    hatty123 said:
    I'm not sure that rotovating the clay soil on its own is going to help drainage, it will settle and compact again. I've got clay soil although haven't had to start from scratch like you, I would make sure theres plenty of top soil before you lay turf and i would think it'll be ok.
    Have you checked what the drainage is like? I remember seeing on a gardening program (not GW) where you dig a hole, fill with water and see how quickly it drains away.
    Hi hatty. With regards to my plan of rotivating it I would be rotivating it then adding compost or something like that Into the mix to then change the structure or at least try to. If that makes sense.
  • hatty123hatty123 Posts: 125
    @glarhzilla yes I kinda realised that later when I was out walking the dog 🤦😂 worth you checking the drainage first though, clay isn't necessarily that bad and if the drainage is ok then I wouldn't bother with rotovating, it's a lot of effort just for turf when ultimately you just want to be sure it doesn't get waterlogged
  • glarhzillaglarhzilla Posts: 12
    hatty123 said:
    @glarhzilla yes I kinda realised that later when I was out walking the dog 🤦😂 worth you checking the drainage first though, clay isn't necessarily that bad and if the drainage is ok then I wouldn't bother with rotovating, it's a lot of effort just for turf when ultimately you just want to be sure it doesn't get waterlogged
    Ah yes. That makes sense. Thanks 👍🏻
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