I have a lot of clay in my veggie garden. What can I do to inprove my soil before I plant?

Answer 1

MASTER GARDENER TO THE RESCUE

All of the above... 'cept the dude who thinks clay sucks. Clay is just mulch with attitude. Pick up two 50 pound bags of gypsum. Every time you turn your soil toss it by the hands full. Toss & Turn, Toss & Turn, it's very cheep and you can't use too much. what ever it touched, clay wont stick to. Just like making pie crust, tossing the flower before rolling the dough. (showing my age. who makes their own pie crust any more?)
100 pounds of gypsum in an averaged sized veggie garden couple times a year will have that clay purrring like a kitten.

Answer 2

Clay is actually a good soil base, holding water and nutrients far better than sand, for example, as long as the plants can get to it.

There is no secret, just lots and lots of organic matter, anything you can get hold of. Compost, rotted manure, bark chipping, spent mushroon compost, sharp sand. It will take time though. Try a no dig system as well, putting the organics on the top - perhaps in raised beds, rather than turning the soil.

Answer 3

Buy some gypsum (clay breaker). You need to work the product into the soil, then water it in. It breaks down the clay. Then you should use a soil conditioner which will improve the soil you want to plant your vegies in.

Answer 4

Honestly, take the time to remove the clay and replace with good soil. Clay sucks.

Answer 5

We have alot of clay in the soil in the area where we live. A greenhouse here told me to use something called soil pep. You mix it half and half with your dirt, using it with whatever you are planting. They said this is better that regular mulch. HTH

Answer 6

do no longer upload too lots sand - you will make a multitude. the final decision is manure made organically. upload lots and rototill it in solid. the 1st year won't produce as much as following years - as you upload greater composted manure according to annum the soil gets greater efficient and greater efficient! We had a ton of clay in our soil - after some years of this equipment, and composting all our leftover plant supplies to characteristic to the backyard while it is grew to become to "black gold", we get all kinds of compliments on the size of our vegetation as properly as an abundance of unpolluted organic and organic vegetables! of path, the weeds like it too, yet they're consumer-friendly to tug up now!

Answer 7

Add spaghnum peat moss -- It will break up clay, add organic material to the soil, and it retains 10x its weight in water

Answer 8

Get some manure from a garden center, Walmart, Lowe's type store or a farmer. Add some each year.
You could also start your own compost; grass clippings, leaves, food waste (banana peels, potato peels, apple cores, etc).