Preparing clay soil for grass

Andybooth23

Hello,

Please would people be able to advise how best to prepare this (i think clay) soil for either grass seed or turf? Obviously once all the remaining slate/pebbles and lining has been removed.

I'm aware I'll need a fair bit of topsoil on top to bring it to the level of the flagstones, but will I need to do anything to the clay soil as the base?

Thanks!

Nobbie1967

Probably a good idea to give it a good dig over and incorporate some horticultural grit or sharp sand to improve the drainage. Clay can compact and hold water like a pond, particularly when compressed by something like slate over a membrane.

ArbitraryRandom

Agreed that digging it over will be the way to go. Sand is a good option, but mulch is also good dug in to open up the soil and add nutrients, especially as it'll save you cash on top soil  

This link gives a whole range of options, including one interesting home remedy that I really hope you decide to try and report back: https://www.easydigging.com/gardening/articles-g/improve-clay-soil.html 

Homemade liquid soil aeration mixtures
Jerry Baker’s Giant Book of Garden Solutions explains how clay soil can be amended from the top down by first puncturing the compacted soil every 8" with a garden fork. Then a 1- to 2-inch thick layer of newspaper, followed by compost and organic matter is spread to a thickness of 1 to 2 feet. The pile is then saturated with a mixture of 12 ounces of beer, + 12 ounces of regular cola, + 1/2 cup of ammonia, + 1/4 cup of instant tea granules, + mixed into 20 gallons of water. If this is done a year ahead, by the following spring there will be 6 to 8 inches of soil ready for planting, according to the book. Over time and with repeated mulching, the layer of "super soil" will reach deeper into the ground to loosen and improve it.

Makes a change from peeing in a bucket to feed the compost

twopenny

I think I'd rather drink the beer if digging over clay soil!
I'd just loosen with a fork, cover in sharp sand and gravel- shingle whatever small stone is to hand and rake it together. Water as we seem to be short of rain.
As you will need a lot of topsoil - cheaper is fine from a builders merchant - and grass. Seed spring or autumn. Buy from a hardware store where they sell it loose is a huge saving.
If you want to do summer, then turf but you will have to keep watering for a while.

RAS

One of my lovely allotment friends "tractor composts". It would work wonders on this. 

You don't need to dig, just spike over the soil with a fork. On top of which layer enough cardboard to cover. Then add, any household uncooked garden and veg waste, tea bags and coffee grounds, grass cuttings, prunings, fallen leaves.

Plus, anything you can harvest from friends and neighbours, any neighbour's shredding stuff, street leaves, odd bits of subsoil from diggings etc. Woodchip needs adding in layers no more than 8 cm thick, otherwise mix and match.

By next spring you will have 10-20 cms decent compost and the soil will be improved. Dig over enough to incorporate  a little of the soil below, and remove twiggy bits.