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Expand and grow dehydrated compost and clay soil

TinglyTingly Posts: 140
in Problem solving

Hi there

i really like expand and grow because it is lightweight for me to handle and you just add water

do you think if i sprinkled it thickly on my borders it would help break down clay soil?

i know your supposed to add organic matter etc, but its so flipping heavy i cant do it

any advice greatfully received

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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    Tingly, unfortunately , sometimes to do it right isn't always the easiest option.

     

    Sprinking it on the surface will not have any effect on the clay. In time it'll just dry out and probably blow away unless it's dug in.

    I'd think you'd bankrupt yourself buying enough " expand and grow compost" to make any difference at all. IMHO

    Devon.
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102

    As everyone has already said in thier comments, i would add that you possibly need to double dig the ground - normally 2 spade depth and incorporate grit and manure to break down heavy clay. Not a job for the faint hardy unless your garden is on the small side. I do gardening as a profession and thus work can be very expensive to carry out if done correct and defiantly a early spring job 

  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    i don't dig over my heavy clay beds anymore, my back won't stand it. I just chuck compost on every autumn/winter and let the worms do the work and of course if I plant anything I make sure the planting hole has lots of good stuff in it.

    I go for the no dig approach and make sure the plants are hardy and appropriate for the position and type of soil. All of my plants are growing like mad and the ones that don't are generally in the wrong place and I'll put them elsewhere.

    https://www.growveg.co.uk/guides/no-dig-gardening-create-new-beds-the-easy-way/

     

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    if I double dug, I'd hit solid clay.

    I've never been convinced that double digging is demonstrably better than single digging. I'd be happy to see some proper research to prove otherwise though.

    Devon.
  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Likewise Hostafan, I tried it once and got salty smelling yellow, sticky lumps of clay you could build bridges with.

    I guess the evidence is whether our plants grow well or not!

  • TinglyTingly Posts: 140

    Well, what a totally united response

    it looks like the best route is to not waste my funds on miracle grow- and definitely not waste the bones ive got remaining on digging etc!!!

    hosta , greenfingers, lou phillipa and tetley- if there was a thanks button on this i would be pressing it- i really appreciate you taking the time to answer- saved me a lot of time energy and money

    All the very best to you kind people

    image

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    we're always here to help Tingly. image

    Devon.
  • LeifUKLeifUK Posts: 573

    Spread compost on the soil surface and the worms will drag it down into the soil. I spread hedge cuttings, and they break down and enrich the soil. I have heavy clay soil. Where some shrubs were the continual organic matter falling on the soil turned it into very crumbly soil. 

  • TinglyTingly Posts: 140

    Thanks Leif- and what an appropriate name!

     

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    Leif, when  you say " spread compost", do you mean potting compost, as Tingly was suggesting, or well rotted garden compost?

    Devon.
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