Heavy or hard soils contain a high percentage of clay and low amounts of silt and sand, resulting in compacted soil that becomes difficult to till. This proves especially true when the clay soils become devoid of organic material, which lightens soil texture by preventing all of the clay particles from sticking together. Improving a clay soil lawn or garden by adding decomposed organic material, such as compost, not only improves workability but increases fertility. When I first start a garden and double dig my rows (3' wide minimum) I will add DECOMPOSED organic matter and fertilizer and mix sorta kinda. Without using anything else this makes raised beds.
Sometimes there is a lot of moisture in the soil but it will look dry to you. My beds for plants are always ALWAYS raised with trenches at the bottom of the slopes to take excess water away to where ever I dictate. No matter what kind of soil I have, I make these raised beds. They start out a couple of feet high with the fluffy soil and then they are formed and compacted to get rid of large air pockets.
Those roots of those clay loving plants break up the clay and add organic matter when rototilled into it, so this method can be considered a slower method of adding compost to the clay. When using this method, adding a layer of an inch or two of sand or gravel on top of the clay will allow plants that cannot normally grow in clay to thrive. This is because some or most of their root system is above the clay soil, but the tips of the roots can still pull nutrients and water out of the clay. On heavy clay It's worth extra work spreading a one or two inch layer of grit sand across the clay soil before spreading the organic matter and digging the whole lot in at the same time.
You will need to work at it over the years by repeating the process though. Baked clay is almost impossible to break up, rotivate or dig, it's easier to spread the organic matter and grit and wait until the worms have done some of the work for you. In a garden bed, the best way to introduce organic material without digging , is to apply layers on top and let nature do the work for you. Simply pile your garden bed high with organic material – it can be wood chips, shredded paper, straw, chopped leaves, lawn clippings – whatever you can lay your hands on.
It might be slow, but the wait will give you time to get to know your land before you plant. And digging the whole lot in at the same time. Adding sand can be tricky and typically is not recommended to be added to clay soil. The addition of lime can raise the soil pH to excessively high levels, reducing the availability of plant nutrients and leading to poor plant growth. Advertisements for gypsum often claim the addition of gypsum will help loosen heavy, clay soils and improve soil drainage.
A slightly faster option is to cover the soil with material that is full of soil microbes, as these will speed up the process. This includes compost, worm castings, and manure – and less of the dense, harder materials such as wood chips, which take longer to decompose. Make sure to cover this 'active' compost etc with a layer of straw mulch to avoid it drying out as this will kill the useful microbes, which don't like hot sun.
Deep watering once a week will also keep things moving. After about a month you'll notice a difference and, if you keep feeding your soil every spring and autumn, it will soon be full of life and all your plants will thrive. Amending your soil properly can overcome heavy, compacted clay and get it back on track for healthy lawn and garden growth. Adding materials such as organic compost, pine bark, composted leaves and gypsum to heavy clay can improve its structure and help eliminate drainage and compaction problems.
A somewhat less quick and easy method is to convert existing clay soil to a non-clay form of soil. If your growing area is on a slope or hill, the slope may allow water to escape without digging drain paths. COLUMBIA — Make sure the soil is ready before you start digging in the garden.
Soil that's turned over when wet will form clods that will be very difficult to break apart later, Trinklein said. This is because wet soil is more easily compacted than dry soil. Not only is this difficult if not nearly impossible to dig in, it can create a host of other problems for growing plants in your garden. Ideally, water will absorb through your soil to a depth of about 6 inches. This doesn't happen in hardened soils, water will take the path of least resistance and you'll end up with run off, puddles, and a water depth of only a couple of inches.
This makes for thirsty plants and muddy messes. Avoid adding sand or peat moss to clay; they can make those problems worse. Soil that's turned over when wet will form clods that will be very difficult to break apart later, Trinklein said. And that is the last time I will mess with the soil of my beds expending lots of calories on my part.
Also, by dumping a couple of inches on top of your beds, whether veggie garden or landscape ornamental beds, is the best way to get rid of weeds. I can't stand to take extra steps, do things that are unnecessary. Clay is a type of soil that is composed of many very very tiny particles, and its nature is to retain water when wet, and to form large clods when dry . Some plants grow in clay soil just fine, but those plants are resistant to the root rot caused by clay's lack of drainage.
Clay is normally rich in plant nutrients, but its tendency to compact and poor drainage cause many plants problems. He recommends the "baseball test" before you start digging. Gas-powered augers can make deck footings or fence-post holes fast and easy, but only in some types of soil. In hard clay, an auger is slower than a spade. In rocky soil, you'll have to stop occasionally to pull out rocks with a clamshell digger.
Because of these frustrations, some deck and fence contractors don't bother with power augers and simply hand-dig every hole. Clay should either be left alone or stabilized with trees and bushes. Roses like clay, because it's acidic, but other plants really don't. You can break up clay with lime, but it's very hard work, particularly if there's a lot of clay. Soil placed over base clay should be thick, fibrous, and have a layer of sand or gravel underneath. Treat the soil as bedrock, like the other "no-dig" scenarios.
Barren soils may be improved by a combination of compost, worms, and a version of the "no-dig" methods, in which the soil is lightly turned, but not actually dug deeply. There's no point in digging this sort of soil because it provides a lot of soil volume but it's basically filler. The real work for plantings will be done by the imported soils.
The idea is to break the surface and allow the new soil to "grow" downwards, as the live chemistry in the new soil breaks up the old soil. Reseed the affected area, if you're improving a clay soil lawn. If you're amending soil for a vegetable or flower garden, you can begin planting immediately once you've added the amendments. If you don't plan to plant immediately you should cover the area with a heavy layer of mulch to prevent erosion and slow water absorption. Otherwise your hard work might literally be washed away by a heavy rain or two. Plants and hard lawn soil don't go well together!
If the ground does not have enough air space, water and nutrients will not circulate properly, making it difficult for your grass to grow. Luckily there is something you can do to soften and prevent soil hardening. Walking on your lawn once it has been tilled and yet to dry will often result in compacted soil or hard soil. Even though most soils will harden under heavyweight, soil rich in clay is more prone to hardening because of clay soil's low drainage and tiny soil particles. Clay root balls should be planted in clay soil. We need to know what your original soil texture is first.
And, did you dig further down in other words deeper than the height of your root ball? Leaving the hole only the depth of the height of your root ball to sit on undisturbed subsoil is CRITICAL. Otherwise your plant will subside and for some plants this would be the kiss of death especially for trees and woody perennials. Clay also has moisture retention properties which can be useful during long dry spells. Clay soil can be a nuisance, even if it's not waterlogged.
Hard clay soil is hard to dig and although many trees and shrubs grow well in clay. The roots of some annuals, perennials, and vegetables, especially root crops like carrots and turnips can't grow through heavy clay. A quick test is to push a steel rod or long screwdriver into moist soil – if you can't push it very far you may have compacted soil.
To confirm, dig a 30cm-deep hole and slice a layer off the side for a closer look. Looser soil separates easily, while compacted soil is smoother and more solid – and often has visible horizontal layers. You might even see plant roots growing horizontally along the lines, unable to break through. Cover areas of clay soil with slower composting materials such as bark, sawdust, or ground wood chips. Use these organic materials for mulch, and, as they break down, they will work themselves into the soil below. Clay's small particles make it hard to dig through, but they also allow it to hold water much better than sand or silt.
How To Soften Hard Soil For Digging So if you want to soften your clay soil for digging post holes, give it a thorough, deep watering. If you're not sure, check out the local plants growing in the area. Trees and grasses in particular, if they're natives, can rehabilitate poor soils by breaking them up with their roots and restarting the local soil chemistry. This is the cheap, all-purpose option for the impossible soils, and it's much less hard work. Rocky soil, without exception, should be covered thickly with compost and soil mix.
The good news about rocky soils is that their drainage is usually excellent. If you're growing plants that don't like getting their feet wet, these soils can be adapted like rockeries and will be fine as long as the plants have good footings and enough nutrients. Another solution to soften your soil and create oxygen space in your soil is by adding wool pellets. Wool Pellets not only provide water holding in your soil, but they create oxygen space for root expansion that will help your plants be hardy and strong. Wool Pellets are able to hold 20X their weight in water helping to reduce the times you water. By holding water they can wick away extra water, protecting your plants from over watering.
Wool pellets expand with water helping to increase porosity in the soil for optimal root growth. To keep soil softened, add organic material such as compost or animal manure into the soil each spring before planting time. Apply organic mulch, like hay, around plants and allow it to decompose and work its way down into the soil. The organic material will ensure the soil is softened year round.
Soil rakes - A sturdy option that can level surfaces, loosen compacted soil and spread mulch evenly. There are many variations of soil rakes which include, border soil rakes for smaller areas such as flower beds, and tarmac rakes for levelling more heavy duty surfaces. I've been involved in lawn care and landscaping from when I was 15. To be honest, I didn't like the idea of pushing mowers, collecting grass clippings, and maintaining flowerbeds at the time.
As someone who loves to spend time with nature's best, I find myself learning a lot more about gardening and outdoors on a daily basis. Not to mention I love to share the knowledge I've gathered over the years with my readers at We Mow Dallas. To be clear, I don't have a Master's degree in gardening or anything like that. Everything I've learned about gardening, landscaping, and lawn care spring from passion and engagement with my parents.
My goal with We Mow Dallas is to teach you exactly how to maintain your lawn and landscape. And since I walk the talk in reality, you shouldn't hesitate to join me in this wonderful world of landscaping and lawn care. Well, this is something that most lawn owners and gardeners have come across. Not only is it challenging to work on, but it can also trigger a slew of other issues for growing grass in your lawn or garden. Keep reading for an in-depth understanding of hard lawn soil and how to soften hard soil in your lawn.
Plant trees and shrubs on low mounds where they'll get the drainage they need but still have access to moisture in the clay soil below. Grow veges in raised beds or no-dig gardens avoiding the clay beneath. The quickest and easiest method to create an area for plants that do poorly in clay is to create a raised bed of non-clay soil on top of clay.
In the case of the OP, he could remove the clay soil used to fill his holes and replace it with a non-clay soil filler. As for any trees and plants which are 'not healthy', clay soil becomes extremely hard when its very dry, so is it possible you don't water sufficiently when it needs it during summer? Not knowing where you live, its impossible to judge whether that would ever be necessary or how often it might be, so again, you'd need to clarify a bit to get a better answer. Break up the soil in the swampy area with a rototiller. Apply mulch, compost or other organic material to cover the soil you broke up, and use the rototiller on it again.
This process allows air into the soil, ensures that it isn't packed and adds water-absorbing organic material that will assist water drainage. You can use a broad fork to further loosen the soil once you've dug a trench or block. Be sure to use your rake to remove any rocks and to level the soil prior to sowing seeds and transplanting plants. Don't add fertilizers until your crops begins to bloom.
If using compost, you shouldn't need to add fertilizer. You can use a broad fork to further loosen the soil once you've dug a trench or block. Don't add fertilizers until your crops begins to bloom.
If using compost, you shouldn't need to add fertilizer. Add organic matter such as compost, peat moss or leaf mold when loosening the soil. It's too late for the garlic bed, but for future beds, you could try mulching the area of the planned bed long in advance - like now, for the spring. Digging in the spring will be much easier than what you're dealing with now. Spread 1 pound of gypsum over every 5 square feet of soil. Using gypsum for clay soil will bind the organic matter to the soil particles and prevent the soil from crusting over or cracking once dry.
