How to Turn Clay Soil into Good Soil

Almost everyone likes to grow plants, but if your soil has more clay in it the anything else, then planting things can be frustrating. Plants have a hard time growing when the soil has clay in it. Before you plant anything in that soil, you will have to work with the soil to lighten it. This takes some work and he clay soil will not be gone overnight. But with diligence, you can make that ground into a soil that plants will grow well.

Till the Soil

Work up the soil by tilling. Do not till the soil when it is wet or the ground will just become very hard. Till the soil when it is dry until all the big clumps are broken down into smaller particles. You will need to set the tiller depth to 12 or more inches. It may seem like you are tilling forever, but keep at it. This takes time before the clumps are gone and the soil is loose.

Amend the Soil

When you have finished tilling, add some well-rotted horse, chicken, cow or sheep manure over the soil. Till this thoroughly into the soil. The next thing you will want to cover the soil with 3 inches of rotted alfalfa hay, compost, or leaves. Use your tiller and work this into the soil to a depth of 6 inches deep or more.

Add Gypsum

Add soluble gypsum to the soil according to package directions. Gypsum helps flocculate clays in acid and alkaline soil. Some other benefits of adding gypsum to the soil are; it also adds calcium to the soil. Gypsum prevents the soil from forming a hard crust on the top so the seeds can emerge, it improves low-solute irrigation water, improves compacted soil in a number of ways.

If you want your garden organic, the choose rock gypsum. Avoid using or adding sand to the soil if your soil is clay. Pat Welsh from the University of California and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that adding sand is the worst thing you can do to improve clay soil.

If you are planting growing plants into your garden, add gypsum to the bottom of each planting hole. But if the garden is already growing or established, then you can broadcast the gypsum over the ground. The ground should look white as if it just snowed. After you have the soil covered with gypsum, water it into the ground. Apply the gypsum every three years. By adding humus to the soil, you will improve the clay soil for healthier plants.

Use Board Walkways

When you plant your garden, lay boards over the soil between the rows, and use them to walk across. This helps prevent the soil from becoming compacted from your walking. Use a garden fork or hand trowel to dig your holes. These garden tools do not compact the soil like a spade or shovel would.

Sources:

Pat Welsh: Never Add Clay to Sand or Sand to Clay

University of California: Managing Clay Soils in the Home Garden

“Old Time Gardening Wisdom”; Jerry Baker