How to Improve Clay Soil With Poor Drainage
Clay soil presents a challenge for gardeners. It holds water, compacts, and cracks when it dries. Clay soil often is fertile, but plants may have a hard time accessing nutrients because the clay does not allow water to effectively reach the roots. Because water does not penetrate the soil well, only the strongest roots tend to grow deeply, and those usually are weeds. Improving clay soil with poor drainage requires work and a great deal of patience. Significant improvement may take years. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Area for composting
- Organic material
- Tiller
- Plant seeds
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Sand
- Lime
- Mulch material
Instructions
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Improving Clay Soil as Garden Preparation
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Start a compost pile with leaves, grass clippings, weeds and kitchen scraps, which you'll eventually till into your clay soil.
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2
Remove some of the clay soil with a shovel and wheelbarrow, and replace it with sand and lime, raking it into the clay for better drainage.
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3
Plant a cover crop for the first growing season, which could include alfalfa, clover, oats or winter rye. The roots of these plants will break up the clay soil. When the crop dies back, till it into the soil to add organic material.
Improving Clay Soil While Gardening
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4
Till in organic material from your compost pile in spring when the soil is dry before planting your seeds, working the material down gently to about 6 inches deep.
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5
Dig some v-shaped trenches a few inches deep and fill with sand to prevent standing water in any areas where the clay may still be most prevalent.
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6
Cover areas of the soil with mulch after plants become established. You can use bark, wood chips, wood shavings, sawdust and straw. As the mulch decomposes, it adds more organic matter to the clay.
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Allow weeds to grow in some areas, because their strong roots will continue to break up the clay.
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Double-dig the entire garden as an alternative method. This involves excavating the top 12 inches of soil and mixing it with large amounts of organic material as well as sand, to create aerated soil in raised beds. You'll plant your seeds in this aerated soil. Once the plants are growing, continue adding organic matter. Be aware this is a lot of work, but can have great results.
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Tips & Warnings
Never try working with clay soil when it's wet. It will stick to all your tools and become even more compacted.
