Does this soil look OK?

Zazen999

oldsam wrote: »

PeteW see my post about topsoil on your other posting - the test for soil quality is simple - squeeze some together in hand if stays as a lump reject it. But if is good it fall apart when you tap the lump , I see you want to fill raised beds , Get the best by using compost to encourage the the worms to work for you, Go on line to Kitchen Garden Web site for more information about raised beds or Irish lazy beds .

Why would you reject clay? It's a fab base for growing veg as it holds nutrients and water.

oldsam

I lived in Leicestershire for 12 years so when comes to clay , You could say that in a garden containing clay and iron ore soil with a granite bed rock having to put 10 tons of 1/4 chippings and dust from a local quarry , In order to open it out for better drainage even with land drains , This was very, very hard work , You are right it does retain water but rather too well , I moved to Hampshire where the soil on the allotment is a shallow clay soil over chalk which is also needs work in order keep up it fertile . It contains a lot of flint stones far easier to work , Our local rules do not allow us to bring in Topsoil , Only by adding organic matter can we effect soil improvement . Well after 25 years on this site I can say that I have a deeper amount of soil then when I started, From 8inches/20cm to 20 inches /60 cm now
Ask Nick Hamilton at Barnsdale about Clay, his dad Jeff used the above methods .for soil improvement from the midlands