I'm thinking my best bet is to bring in a couple loads of topsoil for my garden as the sheer amount of work I'll need to do to de-rock the soil will be overwhelming. And even then I'll still end up with hard clay soil. Any thought? Thanks.
Paul Ladendorf wrote:I'm thinking my best bet is to bring in a couple loads of topsoil for my garden as the sheer amount of work I'll need to do to de-rock the soil will be overwhelming. And even then I'll still end up with hard clay soil. Any thought? Thanks.
We have heavy clay soil. My solution was to place a layer of straw, then cardboard (the worms LOVE it) then a thick layer of compost and then mulch heavily with chopped leaves. I did this for about 8 months prior to planting. Right before planting, I hand tilled the ground and removed the large rocks, but left all the small ones - they're surprisingly welcome, as they contain lots of nutrients. Each fall I top dress my beds with more compost, then mulch with chopped leaves/yard clippings (clover). In the spring, I do the same, but don't add compost unless it appears it's needed. If you're planting carrots and radishes, or things that don't like rocks, a raised bed, filled with de-rocked clay/sand/peat should work great.
Your timeframe may not work using this method, but it's produced great results for us.
Clay soil can be remediated, and once that's been done it's incredibly productive. But the amount of organic matter required is simply staggering. It's a long-term project.
In the short term, I agree: raised beds are the way to go.
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