My dirt in my backyard is clay dirt and my bushes/flowers are dying in it, will you help me?

Question

What is the best method to fix the dirt/soil and provide a good drainage system for the things I plant in my backyard. Toooo much clay!

Answer 1

Burdensome as this sounds, you need to break up the clay and mix it with a good soil, sand mix. There are machines you can rent, to break up the clay (some will have to be removed to make room for the sand/soil mix). I like a 50/50 mix...1/2 clay, 1/2 mixture. Get the tiller, or whatever machine you like to use. When you have removed about half of the broken clay, then add your mixture and use the tiller again. I live on an old rice farm...ALL we have is clay.

The answers above are good answers, but removing at least half of the clay is quicker and more successful.

Answer 2

What we have done so far in the same situation is make each hole for a new planting much larger than it needs to be, and fill the hole with water and let it drain two or three times before planting - it helps loosen the clay - and you can fill with your dirty dishwater, the soap will actually help. When planting, fill in the bottom with a mixture of aged manure, peat moss and the native soil, and also use this mix to fill around the roots; then make sure each plant has a "well" - you can build them around exiting plants as well, and they will help you to "topdress" with organics (aged manure, peat moss, compost, etc.), and cover with bark mulch. We then put in drip irrigation which adds the water very slowly so the clay can absorb. It was not costly or difficult. I also used a product called Aerate which seems to help some. Lastly, use an acidifying plant food, one intended for evergreens and azaleas, it will help counteract the alkalinity common to clay, and in our case we also used chelated iron because the iron in our water was not absorbable by our plants and they were yellowing. Good luck.

Answer 3

I had the same problem. Add about a 2-3 inch layer of mulch/compost/organic matter and then rototill it in well to a depth of about 6 inches to mix it thoroughly with the existing clay soil. The more the better. For optimum results you can sprinkle the recommended amount of fertilizer on top before you till to give the plantings a better dose.

Then level the ground out and seed/plant your choice of material. This should help out any plantings as it will improve water retention, PH, nutrients etc.

I had to do this for a 4,000+ sq.ft. yard so I know the pain. Good luck.

Answer 4

Improving the soil in your entire yard can be very expensive and will take a lot of time. While this may be the ultimate answer to your problem, let me offer a few tips that might bring about a little quicker result thus allowing you to see the fruits of your labours a bit sooner.

The best advice I was ever given in gardening was from my Grand Father. He said, "A ten dollar hole with a dollar plant is worth much more than a dollar hole with a ten dollar plant". In your efforts to improve your soil, start small. One "hole" at a time.

Next, research plants a little, many plants are very well suited for poor conditions and actually thrive in them. By choosing from these plants in particular you will find that you can be most successful for a fraction of the cost and with a lot less effort.

This along with hard work and patience should prove to be beneficial in attaining the goal you've set out to achieve. Good Luck and Best Wishes for a garden (yard) that brings joy to your heart and serenity to your soul.

Answer 5

Clay is hard to deal with but in fact it's one of the richest growing mediums. You need to fork is over frequently and incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter (manure, compost &c). To preserve moisture, consider a mulch of bark chippings. This will also get incorporated into the top layer of soil and help to break down the clay.

If drainage is a problem, install tile drains or simply gravel drains about a spit and a half down.

Answer 6

Use a tiller. then just add any other softer dirt. the clay is very nutritious. The problem ay not even be the clay plants do very well in this stuff. My whole yard is clay.

Answer 7

Plants love horse manure.
Where do you live? What color is your clay?
Try adding some topsoil, dead leaves, manure, and other such things, and tilling it in with the clay. Keep it fluffy as it begins to pack down again with the hoe, around your plants.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

YOU NEED TO TURN OVER THE SOIL AND ADD TOP SOIL AND PEAT MOSS ....AND SOMETHING WITH AERATION BEADS INCLUDED IN THE MIXTURE......GO OUT FROM THE BASE OF THE TREE ABOUT TWO FEET AND PUT IN MANURE..... NOT NEAR THE BASE BECAUSE ITS TOO TOXIC......TREES NEED RICH AND SOMEWHAT LOOSE SOIL IN ORDER TO GROW FEEDER ROOTS AND THRIVE......

Answer 10

Top soil fill. It's sold in bags or truck load. Lowes.