Advice please on the swamp I have created :-(

charlievalentine_2

Hello, I am hoping for some advice to rectify the mess I have made in my back yard! I dug up a few inches of our small soil/weed patch which is about 8m square clay soil with the intention of filling with sub base and then artificial lawn on top. Changed my mind and now would like just a patch of clover. However, where I have dug and is now bumpy and has turned into a swamp with recent rain. I planned to fill it back level with the surrounding path with the clay I removed mixed with compost. This area never used to get like a swamp before I messed with it. Do I just need to wait for it to dry and try and get it higher and level? Will this happen every time it rains or was it because the water pooled in the dips. One end is still nice and firm. I will be sticking to pots from now on :-(

tim_n

Clay soil is a pain in the whatsits. Regardless of what you do over time it generally goes bumpy anyway.

Adding compost to the soil will not do much as the compost is light and fluffy and will compress down.

Mix sand with the clay and some soil improver. The extra organic material combined with the free draining sand will give the worms something to work with. Sow over the top with clover and it'll sort itself out over the next few months.

Try to get it fairly level first and if it gets bumpy, add more sand on the low bits and grass/clover will grow through. Try not to walk on it.

edit: not builders sand - it'll change the PH of the soil. Horticultural sand is best.