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.”
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.
There's no doubt that adding to soil over a length of time is difficult if you want to get your teeth into a project [been there many times] but it's surprising how quickly well rotted manure can have an effect, especially on uncultivated, heavy sticky clay. As many of us here already know, when you add in heavy rain, it magnifies the problem, but a good growing medium can usually be achieved in a couple of years, especially if you keep adding compost - home made in particular, is wonderful for opening up clay soil. Once you add in plants, it also makes a huge difference, because they help enormously by taking up excess moisture. Appropriate planting is also key - as it would be for any conditions and climate Unless there are other factors - underlying rock, or a clay 'pan' and a high water table etc, it's achievable with fairly minimum effort.
@punkdoc - forget Keats, Shelley, Wilde and Shakespeare, and just remember the words of that most articulate statesman Mr. Buzz Lightyear "you are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity " To infinity and beyond....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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.
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.
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...
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I had some lovely apple trees and roses though. And peonies.
Mulching does work. It's just a slow process
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Unless there are other factors - underlying rock, or a clay 'pan' and a high water table etc, it's achievable with fairly minimum effort.
@punkdoc - forget Keats, Shelley, Wilde and Shakespeare, and just remember the words of that most articulate statesman Mr. Buzz Lightyear "you are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity "
To infinity and beyond....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...