Clay Breakers

goony

Does anyone have any experience of using this type of product to help break down clay soil? My garden is just solid clay and I realise i should dig it up and incorporate organic matter but can a product like this help?

WestonDave

I'm sure they do something, but personal experience was that using it alone was entirely ineffective. Clay soil is a long term project to break down - you might want to think about adding some grit sand (i.e. fairly coarse sand - fine sand makes it worse!) as well.

You have my utmost sympathy but just bear in mind the upside is that clay soil is normally very fertile.

Lotus-eater

I used one packet once I got cheap, the ground just swallowed it up and it dissapeared, no noticeable difference. I think it would take alot to make a real difference to the soil.
Go with the sharp sand and organic matter.

fdavid_2

Gypsum is the best thing for breaking clay - if you find a bulk source it needn't be too expensive to get meaningful quantities.

As others have said, organic matter is also good - both together is unbeatable.

Perhaps try an over-wintering green manure such as Hungarian Grazing Rye or Winter Tares.

Kazipoo

I agree with other posters, add some grit or gritty sand. Our front garden has a very high clay content and our plants love it because we added soil improver, bonemeal and grit to the ground before we started planting.

peter_the_piper

I've heard that farmers use calcified seaweed but don't know where you'd get it.

Zazen999

Clay breakers ARE based on gypsum and will help to flocculate the clay.

However, the amount you need for a decent sized patch - you'd be better off getting a ton of manure from a farmer and leaving that on the soil all winter.

I'd find out what you were planning to do with your garden first; grass/borders/veg patch etc etc - I'd suggest different things for different purposes...

Lotus-eater

Zazen999 wrote: »

and will help to flocculate the clay.

Hark at you with your big words!

:silenced:

ALIBOBSY

Our garden is clay, but is worst at the back and used to be very wet.
We dug some drainage and filled with sand, plus sand in certain very wet spots, and went over to raised beds. The woodchip around the paths inbetween helped as well.

Good news is our plants that are in the clay soil need little or no watering and grow really well (have a huge bay bush) plus even the raised beds hold water well, so less messing about with the hosepipe in summer, can be quite forgiving if we miss a day in the heat.

ali x