Can I put potting soil on top of clay to make a small raised bed to plant annuals in?

Question

I have a small area 3' wide by about 5' long. The area is hard clay. No matter whay I do there are always weeds there and of course the plants do poorly. I am going to dig this area out, just the depth of the shovel and the fill in the areay with quality soil, mound it a little high to make a raised bed. do you think this will work?

Answer 1

Sounds good. Just put 1-2" of rocks or pebbles at the bottom before adding your soil. That will help drainage.

It might also be easier to just dig out the specific spots where you will put individual plants, as opposed to digging up the whole area. Just make sure that each hole is a few inches wider and deeper than the plant going in it and that you put the pebbles in the bottom. When I did this, I didn't have to "mound" the plants and replacing the plants was a heck of a lot easier.

Also I found a mulch that has "weed-stop" in it that seems to work pretty well.

Answer 2

I agree with answer from 'pontgranprix' .
Yes, dig out what you suggested then:
Build a 3' X 5' planter (with sides & a drain-holed bottom).
I prefer to have a raised planter for better drainage & easier on the back.

What you suggested works OK for this year. You may periodically have a muddy mess with drowned plants. I had lots of water run-off and very poor plant results. Plus you would have to do all that work again next year including the soil and be disgusted/frustrated with results.

Under ground clay - - make planter. Be creative with sides.

Answer 3

That should work fine.

When you fill the area with quality soil, be sure to use a peat humus mix. The humus will help to amend/improve the clay soil base you'll still have.

After that, consider using Bob and John's Soil Optimizer for continuing to help your soil stay healthy:
http://www.johnandbobs.com/product_info.htm

Another suggestion would be to put about a 1ft wide area of hardwood mulch around the outside of your bed once it's dug out. This will help to keep the weeks at bay up close by your plants.

*~Enjoy~*

Answer 4

Clay is actually the best soil for water retention. In fact it is it's colloidal properties that makes it stick together. If you break up the clay by chopping in the soil conditioners, you will have the best possible soil. It will be high in organic matter, yet heavy enough to stay put better. Dig the weeds out, but make sure the bed mounds a little like you said. My favorite mulch for annuals is mini nuggets, but shredded mulch works too.
I personally don't like peat moss in beds unless I'm planting seeds. It just gags me when it gets airborne. For seed beds peat moss is a must for it's anti fungal properties. Good planting!

Answer 5

I am also in heavy clay. We tilled the soil after a rain and put in bales of straw and vermiculite. I am sure by now they are almost solid clay again, because the water noticably runs out under the edge of the frames which we sat upon some cement edging stones. Then we laid out a wire mesh (like small chicken wire to keep small varmints from coming up from underneath) built our frames and filled with a good soil mixture. We also laid a 1x5 around the edges so we can "sit" and work in the boxes. Each year we add compost, but for three years now we have had excellent beds for strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 6

Yes, it will work! I do this constantly (I live in Oklahoma, the land of red clay).
1. I add compost and cow manure to the dampened clay and mix it well. Potting soil does not work as well. In fact, I never use it.
2. To the depth of the shovel is perfect for your annuals.
3. Be sure to add mulch as the soil may still tend to become dry.
If you prepare a flowerbed properly before you plant, which you're doing, you won't have to water and fertilize constantly. Good work!

Answer 7

It will be an improvement over clay, but try this.
There is a new additive known as a clay-buster.
Not sure of brand names, but ask at the garden store.
You can mix this into clay, & it improves the texture.

Another approach is to make a raised bed.
This is done by framing an area, & filling it in.
The frame can be stones or treated wood ties.
The best fill is triple mix, which you can buy.
Or you can mix your own: top-soil, compost, & sand.

Answer 8

Not a good idea. Filling a hole with soil that is lighter than the surrounding soil will become a muddy mess. You will be making a lake for your plants to basically drown in. The water will drain through the light good soil but then hit the clay and the water will just sit. I have seen landscapers who backfill trees with good black dirt when they plant in clay and the next year they end up replacing the trees because the trees drown.

Answer 9

That should work very well. You could also add peat to the clay to help break it up and not go quite as deep if you wish. Peat will help hold moisture and also add drainage. Clay soil is such a pain in the butt!

Answer 10

yes indeed you can. I did this to the front of my house. I actually dug in the ground and lifted a little clay and mixed that with the potting soil. Then i put mulch over it and planted my pants. they are still strong and pretty