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Done the right thing or made my problem worse?

CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
in Problem solving
Hi all,

I am creating two huge borders in my garden so I took away the grass that was there and started to dig over the soil. I have discovered that under the first 30cm of soil we have solid heavy sticky clay.

So I decided to double dig and dig down a further foot Into the clay and add lots of compost and also Vitax clay breaker granules. The problem is in doing so the clay is now mixed in with upper soil!

My thinking was to dig down deep and add compost to the bottom of the trench to improve drainage and start to improve the soil. Also I didnt want plants roots to eventually hit the layer of solid clay and not be able to go any further. My plan now is to add lots of organic matter and the clay breaker granules to the soil surface to hopefully improve the upper layer of clay/soil.

So have I done the right thing digging the clay or have I made problems worse by bringing it all to the surface?

Thanks
Craigh.

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Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I would have dug it. That's what I have done in my newish garden. Then I dug in lots of compost. Let it settle then planted it with perennials. The last couple of years I've mulched it. I won't dig it again. It has worked really well. I had a clay bed in the past that I didn't do all that to and it didn't work well.

    @GardenerSuze is digging and adding compost in her new garden.

    I expect people will come and praise "no dig" from the start, but I have been gardenjng for 50 years and I've found that if you have heavy clay you have to prepare the ground first or it will always be badly drained and difficult to work with. Once you've done that then add mulch each year.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    When it dries a bit,  I would do that stomping on it and raking thing before adding the compost or whatever. That would speed up the process a little.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
    @Busy-Lizzie Thats good to hear! This is exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to put the effort it now so that I wouldn't have problems further down the line. I have only been in this house a few years and in that time I've planted a few perennials however I always noticed they weren't thriving and I suspect this because the roots hit the clay further down in the ground. 

    Have you ever used the clay breaker stuff? Thought it was worth a try.
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
    B3 said:
    When it dries a bit,  I would do that stomping on it and raking thing before adding the compost or whatever. That would speed up the process a little.
    If I stomp on it won't it compact all the clay again?
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Not if it's dryish and you rake it  or jiggle it afterwards. The big clumps will crumble. If the clay is wet, it will certainly get compacted.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
    B3 said:
    Not if it's dryish and you rake it  or jiggle it afterwards. The big clumps will crumble. If the clay is wet, it will certainly get compacted.
    Ah right well at the moment it's awful. It's really sticky and wet and it's terrible to work with. So I'm standing on the part that I haven't dug yet so that I don't compact the part ive already done.

    I think it's going to take a long time to really break down the clay and tons of organic matter but I know it will all be worth it. I don't want to be stuck putting in plants that only like clay :)
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    You can always whack it with a mattock or a slaters hammer instead when it dries 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I too would have dug it. 
    It’ll be fine … if you can fork in some well-rotted manure that’ll get lots of microbial and worm activity going and help to break down the clay. 

    Just don’t stomp on it when it’s claggy .., if it sticks to your boots keep off it. 👍 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
    Dovefromabove said:
    I too would have dug it. 
    It’ll be fine … if you can fork in some well-rotted manure that’ll get lots of microbial and worm activity going and help to break down the clay. 

    Just don’t stomp on it when it’s claggy .., if it sticks to your boots keep off it. 👍 

    Well at the moment you can't see any boot lol so its definitely not time for walking on :)

    Yes I've put lots of homemade compost at the bottom of the trenches to start with and it has got loads of worms in it. So once I've finishing digging and it all dries a bit I will then put more on top like you said and fork it in :)
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    I have removed the best of the top soil before digging and improving the clay underneath here.

    It may sound like hard work but all you need to do is dig out the best depth of top soil you have and put it aside, do it a section at a time, maybe five six feet along, whatever is workable for you with your borders.
    If you can put it aside out of the way for a bit, like on a plastic sheet on the lawn ( gasp)  or out of the way until you have nearly finished the digging.
    Then add whatever improver to the lower heavier layer, then place the topsoil of the next section on top of the improved bit you have just done.

    It does not matter if you get a bit mixed here and there. But bringing and mixing the good top soil you have with the worst heavy stuff generally is not so good.

    See you have grey and dark lumps there which is probably your topsoil.
    And some lumpier grey stuff, which is more like a sub soil.
    Then the brighter coloured clay like orangey or yellow. 
    Sorry about the colour description.

    The thick yellow lower layer is also the one to break up a bit and add rough compost to, if there are stones down there then leave them as they help a bit.
    BUT try not to bring that to the surface if you can help it. 

    Then the next layer the lumpy grey stuff  (is like another layer), that is not so bad if it gets a bit mixed, and easier to break.

    Although it seems a good idea to mix it all, you have lost the most friable layer for a few years, and although you can improve it, I feel it is a little counter productive.
    As you have a thicker heavier mix for longer until it all improves?

    I have never used the clay breaker stuff. Thought about it years ago then read an article that said it didn't work long term...something like that. But you maybe find different :)

    Good Luck
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