What Fairy says.we had the same north facing back garden. One border always shady,hubby dug it out to a depth of a foot, replaced with good quality top soil.weve spent 11 years improving the rest,and for this reason I grow most of the bulbs in pots.
My soil was just like that and I very respectfully disagree with @Obelixx and many of the above contributors. That sort of clay is not full of nutrients waiting to be released by piling on manure. It is solid and lifeless and probably doesn't have worms to process all the muck. No dig methods will work but only over thirty to forty years.
The issue is the soil texture. Plant roots need to be able to penetrate the soil and they need oxygen. If they can't do that because the soil is a sodden lifeless grey lump, then they can't access the nutrients in the soil. That's where bulky organic matter helps.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I dug. It was VERY hard work (my right shoulder is still smarting) but it has helped. No dig is probably not the best option if your soil is massive slabs of compacted clay. I think you need to lend a helping hand.
Doesn't hard frost break down clumps of clay? I was always under the impression that leaving the clods exposed to the elements over winter goes a long way to breaking up the clumps, at least this technique worked when I've used it. Loads of moisture holding compost/manure helps the worms do their magic.
Have you got many worms in your garden? You can buy extra on the internet, though you'd be wasting your money if there's nothing for the worms to work with.
We had heavy soil like that on the allotment we had where we lived before (London clay). Yes, a mattock in this situation is your friend. Break it up, add organic matter, work it in. Repeat. We used to break it up each winter so the frost could get at it. The soil did improve and because of the organic matter (horse manure begged, borrowed and stolen) we grew some tasty crops. But hard work. Couldn't manage it now, so loving the sandy soil where we are now. Still lots of organic matter required though.
Does anyone actually have a garden with free draining moisture retaining loamy soil?
I've never had anything but heavy clay to garden on. Trying to leave clumps to break down with frost doesn't really work here, because along with ample frosts, we get too much wet stuff etc, so it's pointless. When I decided to make a bigger pond last year, it involved digging into what had been a slabbed area for many years. Solid and compacted. When you dug out a hole, the amount of 'soil' taken out looked as if it would fill three holes, because it had been so hard packed. I couldn't dig as deeply as I'd have liked because of it - I'd have needed a digger. Similar problem to make holes for the planting around the pond. They had the usual additions of manure/compost etc, and everything is thriving. We aren't exactly short of water here either, which can make things even more difficult, but nothing has failed. I had a similar problem when I dug out an area for a clematis. Again - it's fine. As @Loxley says, the opening up of the clay is what matters most for root systems. Right plants in the right place also helps.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have gardened on a clay soil for over twenty years. early on I added mushroom compost but not sure this is still available. No good for acid loving plants however.
What I didn't realise at first was that under the top soil was a thick pan of clay. Plants such as clematis would start off ok but as they tried to develop roots they hit the clay and gave up. I still have problems in some areas but because the soil has been worked and compost added over the years it is much improved. When planting I back fill with broken up clay, compost and horticultural grit if I have it and mix it really well. Mycorrhizal fungi is also very successful when planting shrubs.
Plants with sliver leaves and seeds planted directly into the ground are a waste of time.
You won't go far wrong with a garden full of Viburnhams there are so many different ones. I grow V rhytidophyllum ,V Charles Lamont and V davidii .Also Amelanchier lamarckii and A Ballerina. Hellebores, snowdrops, polystichum setiferum, campanulas and some grasses to name a few. You will have plant envy when you look ay some of the flowers on this forum but the positive is this is your garden. I would not swap my garden for anything else simply because it is my very own creative space. .
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Also think breaking up the clay and adding organic matter (like manure) is the best course of action. I hand dug a whole big border at my last house, breaking up the big clumps by hand and adding peat free compost, I treated the clay like a wet dough and the compost like flour, I didn’t want the clay I was breaking up to stick to the other bits so I “dusted” it all in compost to prevent that. I did that once and had lovely soil with no compaction, and thriving plants from then on!
There are plenty of people on the forum that say they have added manure for decades and it hasn't changed the clay at all. Generally people warn against adding sand.
As a quick fix, you might want to look at getting some raised beds going while you examine the clay situation.
Ten years ago, new to gardening, I took out many tonnes of clay by hand. I added manure and homemade compost and now I have great beds full of worms. My clay was not the solid stuff to make pots from, just very claggy soil with huge lumps in it. And my beds are small (1x2 metres).
Also think breaking up the clay and adding organic matter (like manure) is the best course of action. I hand dug a whole big border at my last house, breaking up the big clumps by hand and adding peat free compost, I treated the clay like a wet dough and the compost like flour, I didn’t want the clay I was breaking up to stick to the other bits so I “dusted” it all in compost to prevent that. I did that once and had lovely soil with no compaction, and thriving plants from then on!
Pretty much what I did but I used a mattock rather than my hand
Posts
Have you got many worms in your garden? You can buy extra on the internet, though you'd be wasting your money if there's nothing for the worms to work with.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Does anyone actually have a garden with free draining moisture retaining loamy soil?
When I decided to make a bigger pond last year, it involved digging into what had been a slabbed area for many years. Solid and compacted. When you dug out a hole, the amount of 'soil' taken out looked as if it would fill three holes, because it had been so hard packed. I couldn't dig as deeply as I'd have liked because of it - I'd have needed a digger.
Similar problem to make holes for the planting around the pond. They had the usual additions of manure/compost etc, and everything is thriving. We aren't exactly short of water here either, which can make things even more difficult, but nothing has failed. I had a similar problem when I dug out an area for a clematis. Again - it's fine.
As @Loxley says, the opening up of the clay is what matters most for root systems.
Right plants in the right place also helps.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
What I didn't realise at first was that under the top soil was a thick pan of clay. Plants such as clematis would start off ok but as they tried to develop roots they hit the clay and gave up. I still have problems in some areas but because the soil has been worked and compost added over the years it is much improved.
When planting I back fill with broken up clay, compost and horticultural grit if I have it and mix it really well. Mycorrhizal fungi is also very successful when planting shrubs.
Plants with sliver leaves and seeds planted directly into the ground are a waste of time.
You won't go far wrong with a garden full of Viburnhams there are so many different ones. I grow V rhytidophyllum ,V Charles Lamont and V davidii .Also Amelanchier lamarckii and A Ballerina. Hellebores, snowdrops, polystichum setiferum, campanulas and some grasses to name a few.
You will have plant envy when you look ay some of the flowers on this forum but the
positive is this is your garden. I would not swap my garden for anything else simply because it is my very own creative space.
.
Pretty much what I did but I used a mattock rather than my hand