I wouldn't have dug it all out, but you are where you are, and the best solution is to just keep adding organic matter. Well rotted manure is best, but it also depends on what you intend planting, and what your climate is like, as to how you proceed. If you can keep off it in the meantime, that will certainly help. I've never used clay breaker either, but decades ago, when creating a garden in a former property, I bought something called 6X, which is effectively chicken manure, and an easy way of improving heavy ground. It certainly worked well. I don't know if it still available though. Nowadays, I use rotted manure if I need it, and I had a ready supply from where I worked [I did that for this plot] because most people round here don't garden in any great depth, so most gardens are pretty much compacted grass, paving, and a few bits and bobs of borders if you're lucky.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@CraighB You may want to take a look at my 'Gardener Suze OAP Garden' on the Garden Design section. Everything you have written I totally understand. I have deliberately added manure deep down it just seemed to me the obvious thing to do. I have the added problem of a hard 'pan' about 2ft down.
Starting with top soil then soggy grey clay under which was a red/grey crumbly layer that was dry even with all the rain. I have nearly got round the whole garden spending a fortune on improving it and breaking through the pan. Infact I have spent more on soil conditioner than plants at this point. At last it is draining. It is more broken up than yours but I have since used a hoe to break it down. Once you can do this with ease you should be in a position to plant breaking up clay as you go. A question of working the soil. I have used M F when planting shrubs to give rooting a boost. Not always recommended but because I don't have a complete understanding of the soil it seemed like a good idea.
One of the best ways to break soil as in your photo is frost but there seems to be little chance of any here at present. I don't think you can go for no dig in these circumstances you must find out what is going on beneath the soil it is critical.
My previous garden was thick red clay, over thirty years I tried to improve it. With hindsight I would have done exactly what you have done. I had lots of casulties when it came to plants. Shrubs would do well then a few years later suffer especially in a dry summer. Plants were often artifically watered in the summer months, both time consuming and not sustainable.
Your soil looks good, hopeless for seedlings but full of nutrients for more established plants. The deep borders are going to be a real asset to your garden.
I expect to add compost and or soil conditioner for many years to come, a good soil cannot be acheived just like that. Your hard work will save you money too long term. Spending money on plenty of compost is far better than spending on plants that long term thay may not survive.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
It doesn't matter how much frost/ice we get here [and we still get plenty of that in these mild winters ] it doesn't break clumps of clay down to any extent at all.
You're lucky you get as far as 2 feet before hitting a solid pan @GardenerSuze
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl That is interesting to know. I had no idea how deep these pans might be in my previous garden it was clayjust below the surface no pan. I am hopeful my hard work will pay off.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Posts
I've never used clay breaker either, but decades ago, when creating a garden in a former property, I bought something called 6X, which is effectively chicken manure, and an easy way of improving heavy ground. It certainly worked well. I don't know if it still available though.
Nowadays, I use rotted manure if I need it, and I had a ready supply from where I worked [I did that for this plot] because most people round here don't garden in any great depth, so most gardens are pretty much compacted grass, paving, and a few bits and bobs of borders if you're lucky.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Starting with top soil then soggy grey clay under which was a red/grey crumbly layer that was dry even with all the rain. I have nearly got round the whole garden spending a fortune on improving it and breaking through the pan. Infact I have spent more on soil conditioner than plants at this point. At last it is draining. It is more broken up than yours but I have since used a hoe to break it down. Once you can do this with ease you should be in a position to plant breaking up clay as you go. A question of working the soil. I have used M F when planting shrubs to give rooting a boost. Not always recommended but because I don't have a complete understanding of the soil it seemed like a good idea.
One of the best ways to break soil as in your photo is frost but there seems to be little chance of any here at present. I don't think you can go for no dig in these circumstances you must find out what is going on beneath the soil it is critical.
My previous garden was thick red clay, over thirty years I tried to improve it. With hindsight I would have done exactly what you have done. I had lots of casulties when it came to plants. Shrubs would do well then a few years later suffer especially in a dry summer. Plants were often artifically watered in the summer months, both time consuming and not sustainable.
Your soil looks good, hopeless for seedlings but full of nutrients for more established plants. The deep borders are going to be a real asset to your garden.
I expect to add compost and or soil conditioner for many years to come, a good soil cannot be acheived just like that. Your hard work will save you money too long term.
Spending money on plenty of compost is far better than spending on plants that long term thay may not survive.
You're lucky you get as far as 2 feet before hitting a solid pan @GardenerSuze
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...