Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Manure

18911131418

Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I expect you're right @Busy-Lizzie, I just haven't been able to summon the energy/strength to do it well enough, other than for very limited areas. I do think it depends on the clay though. My garden here is clay soil, and digging is sort of possible, or would be if my knees were less dodgy, if you hit the 3 day window between 'too wet' and 'too dry'. My last place basically was pot clay and you simply couldn't dig it. OH found me sitting with the second garden fork I'd broken in floods of tears because I just couldn't make any impression on the ground, I was just breaking myself and my tools.

    I had some lovely apple trees and roses though. And peonies.

    Mulching does work. It's just a slow process

    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    My garden in Kent in the 80s was like that @raisingirl. The children used to make models from the clay and I'd bake them in the Aga! But it grew wonderful roses. This garden in France is reasonable clay on top but below is thick clay, was very wet last winter. I'm digging in lots of compost as I am making flower beds, there weren't any.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • That's been my experience too @Fairygirl, we're about 4 years into adding mulches to our clay and for the most part the soil is now absolutely lovely, and felt much better even from the first year. I really notice the difference on the areas that haven't had it, especially outside the 3 day window @raisingirl mentioned! There is nothing more demoralising than trying to move plants stuck in sticky clay. 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The clay here should be nice and workable today after last night's rain. A chance to get some potted stuff into the ground  - I hope
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • @b3 it doesn't half make these times of year busy! I have so many bulbs waiting for the rock-hard soil to soften! 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    That's the trouble with clay. You have to dance to its tune. When you accept that, you can find peace with it.😏
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've never known anything else @B3. Timing for doing things is key    ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    I gave up with veggies planted in the garden, a pick axe was needed to chip away at the clay and so we made raised beds. We have gradually improved the borders with manure from a farmer who has since retired so no longer get a supply from him, but have found another one who brings us some but not the same quantity so like Lizzie have to buy some which is expensive. I only plant bulbs in the Autumn, if I plant anything else it will sit and sulk in the cold wet ground over winter, so wait for the window of opportunity in the spring.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's exactly the point @floralies. Conditions can be adapted by adding organic matter, but raised beds are a great alternative when you have sticky clay, and then wet cold. We can't change what comes out of the sky  ;)
    Most of my current garden has raised beds. I'd have been there forever trying to amend all of it to get anything thriving, and life's too short.
    It's also ideal, and much cheaper, if you can do it yourself - which I did. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.