Loosening heavy clay soil.

KatrinaC_2

I have very heavy topsoil (about 10 inches deep) with a layer of pure clay underneath. I know that adding compost will help in the long term, but is is worth working in sand or grit to get better drainage in the short term? And if so, what is the best to use? I used a few bags of builders sharp sand in the last garden and my mother in law was horrified and said that you should never used builders sand.

Kat

angie_loves_veg

....I cannot help, but I will be watching the replies with interest...

my allotment is pure clay, and despite 18mths of adding huge quantities of manure and homemade compost (but obviously not enough yet!), it is still a complete quagmire at this time of year. Ho hum, I shall continue to add more manure with my rotations, but the grit/sand question is a good'un.

Jayar

The reason you are not supposed to use builders sand as a soil improver is because it really is a bit too fine and soft for the purpose, but if I were you, I wouldn't worry about it, you haven't done any damage.
Sharp gritty sand is best because what you are trying to do is improve the drainage of the clay soil. This in comination with some organic matter (spent mushroom compust, manure etc) should really help improve its condition.
Quick tip for turning over clay soil: get yourself one of those garden claws: you can get them for about a fiver in Poundstretchers. It has certainly made a difference to the way I dig my very heavy clay soil.

squirreltufty

I've got loads of builder's sand in my soil (not deliberate:rolleyes:). As far as I can tell it hasn't had any detrimental effects - probably helped with the drainage - my soil is pretty heavy clay where I haven't improved it.

KatrinaC_2

Next question: If I go to a big DIY store like Homebase or B&Q, will they stock gritty sand suitable for the garden and will they know what I'm talking about?

Kat

annie123

Sorry to tell you this but it took me at least 5 years of digging in manure/grit before I noticed any real difference in my last garden.

When we moved again I had the same nasty soil, so heavy that my son made me a small pot out of it which I still have! But this time I was ready.
It was me or the clay.

1st add as much grit as you can now, followed by well rotted manure or cheap compost for b and q. I planted as much green manure as I could fit in and dug that in at the end of the year. In the autumn digg over as much as you can and leave the frosts to break up the clumps it does help.

Do the same next year as well and by the 3rd it should be much better.

By trial and error I found grit (any type) much better than sand.

Plant things that like/dont mind clay, roses etc and start off other plants in tubs/containers so that they can be moved when the soil is better.

It is worth the effot now and think how fit you'll get!!!

Good luck

Boudica

I have to agree with Annie. Mt allotment is heavy clay and it took 4 years of manuring to make it more managable.

You could plant spuds to help break up the ground in half the plot then, next year, the other half. There's no quick solution to this unfortunatly.

N9eav

KatrinaC wrote:

Next question: If I go to a big DIY store like Homebase or B&Q, will they stock gritty sand suitable for the garden and will they know what I'm talking about?

Kat

Probably but they will charge you a fortune for it. Look about for sand and aggregates in the phone book and see if you can get a better deal. The kind of sand you need is cheap and depending on how much you need you could get a 1 tonne bag delivered for far less than buying little 25k bags from B & Q

Lord_Gardener

Adding copious quantities of sand, compost, grit and manure will all help improve your soil structure and loosen it, but as has already been stated it may take a few years. Other more instant options may be to buy in a good quality top soil and spread on top of your beads or produce raised beds and fill with your ideal mix! Buying bulk quantities will certainly work out cheaper.

samcat_2

annie123 wrote:

By trial and error I found grit (any type) much better than sand.

2nd that.... grit is absolutely better than sand.

I also went to extreme lengths...

1) I dug out orange clay and got it picked up by a grabber lorry.
2) Got a lorry load of compost delivered
3) Poured it into the beds
4) Planting was ok then....