GroundBreaker starts working immediately and maximum results will take 6 - 8 weeks. Clay soils are relatively fertile because of this capacity to adsorb these important plant nutrients. Allow the frosts and wintry weather to do this instead: it will give you a finer tilth. Digging in my flower beds and garden used to be like playing in a big mud pie that was left out in the sun to dry. Instead, direct your efforts toward improving soil structure. We can not find them anymore but the problem of the hard packed clay soil still exists. It would be great for gardeners if every yard consisted of nutrient-rich topsoil, but this is not reality. It adds air and helps break up clumps of clay. Favorite Answer. How to Break Up Clay Soil for Gardening. On its own, liquid aeration offers limited benefit. Step 3 - Add Compost for Plant Nutrition and Improved Soil Structure . Breaking the Soil Without a Till. So if you can make the soil particles in a clay soil larger you improve drainage and the texture. Organic Mulch. Clay soils are generally low in both organic matter and microbial activity. Air, water, earthworms, microbes, roots and seedlings have trouble moving through clay soil, so crop yields suffer. When growing vegetables in clay soil, mulches slow down natural compaction and promote natural soil ventilation, which in turn increases the comfort of plants' roots. Luckily, most clay soils are rich in minerals which will become available to your plants once you improve the texture of the soil. Heavy clay soil has so much clay content that it may overwhelm other soil types and break them down. A common misconception needs to be cleared up here. Compost is rich in plant nutrients. Otherwise, turning the soil will break up the clumps of clay, making it easier to mix in the other ingredients. Hence clay soils are heavy and wet. Compost and aged manure are both fast-working organic materials that will break down quickly and improve clay soil right away. Spread the soil into an even layer and dig down another 5 to 6 inches in the soil with a hoe. They stay soggy when wet, and turn rock hard when they dry out in the summer. It’s extra work but worth spreading a one or two inch layer of grit sand across the clay soil before spreading the organic matter and digging the whole lot in at the same time. One often employed practice when gardeners attempt to amend their heavy clay soils is to add sand content. When clay soil isn’t prepared properly, a solid sheet of clay can be found underneath a layer of loosened/amended soil. (The name "Gumbo" is a fitting name for the heavy sand-clay soil) It is not easy for plants to become established, but once they do, they often do well. For the best results, add 4 inches of compost or aged manure to every square foot of clay soil and work it into the garden to a depth of 6 inches. You can learn more about how to treat dry soil in my article here. Of course, a till is going to be the most efficient way to get the job done, but there are many, many other tools that can break up the clay, making it easier for you to amend the soil. When soils are this "tight", necessary air, water and nutrients can not move through them. The organic material with break down quickly, so this is only a beginning step in maintaining an enriched clay soil. 2. To improve clay soil you will need to: Work 2 to 3 inches of organic matter into the top 4-6 inches of the soil. I've had the most success with seed mixes heavy on vernal alfalfa. As clay become compacted if under pressure, it’s important not to walk on it. Tilth is the physical condition of the soil regarding ease of cultivation, seedbed quality, ease of sprouting and deep root penetration. -Barbara . BREAK DOWN CLAY SOIL IN A PLANTING HOLE. Clay soil is composed of extremely small clay particles formed by the breakdown of rocks by erosion and organic activity. Gypsum is calcium sulfate, usually sold in powder or granular form. And would using a "power rake" be a good method to rake in a thin layer of quality topsoil as well? Clay’s small particles make it hard to dig through, but they also allow it to hold water much better than sand or silt. Chopped leaves stay in place, are more weed-smothering, and break down more quickly. Clay soils can create problems in lawns. Parts of Texas and Louisiana have thick, gumbo clay soils. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? We have an 800 acre ranch in Montana and while we do not have geysers like over in Yellowstone, we do get underground pressures that on occasion push clay dirt up into mounds. 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