Solid Clay.Veg patch. Please advise a newbie.

 

Hi, I have an old un-used drive (covered in small pebbles). I have
cleared away the layer of pebbles (1 spade depth).

I am now left with solid & I do mean SOLID :-( CLAY.

I have done a couple of test trenches 1 more spades depth & below its
still SOLID CLAY :-( (very hard work digging out slabs of solid clay)

The plan is to dig don 1 more spades debth & put in half a spades
depth of pebbles & then 1 1/2 spades depth of compost, mixed up clay ,
leaves & any other organic matter I can find.

BUT, now that I am 2 spades debth down, below that is still SOLID
clay. The last few days rain has turned it into a bit of a pond & its
very slow draining.

Should I use something like a couple of bags of FINNISH PLASTER, that
contains GYPSUM to try and break it up a bit ?

The plan is its going to be a VEG PATCH.

We did watch the BBC prog about planning veg patches, but must admit
we had to laugh a bit when the lady said she had heavy clay soil,
which to us looked fantastic, think ours must be HEAVT HEAVY clay :-)

BUT we have 3 compost bins on the go so hopefully we are producing
some good stuff to min in with the clay & pebbles.

But if any of you experts has any advice for me of ways of helping
with the veg patch preperation I would be greatful.

Thanks

 

Build up!

--
I smile and go off waving
(Amiably) - for that's my way

Baal

http://www.helden.org.uk

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 


tina wrote:


Oh Tina, join the club - we are on awful clay, I'm sure I could make a
fortune out of making Limoges a la Lea from my garden.

We have been here 9-10 years and we have made little impact despite
putting in everything that we were advised of.  Trailer loads of manure
with hay and straw in it, trailers of wood chips, compost made by
ourselves and loads that was donated by friends; and we even bough a
load of cocoa shell as someone said this would solve the problem.  We
took all advice but there is very litte difference, it seem that the
stuff just disappears in after a couple of years but where it goes is a
mystery and the clay is still - well clay.

Another urgler gace me some very good advice about using seaweed and
cardboard and looking at her garden, you can sede that it is a
brialliant solution.  I have been up and down the Norfolk coast but I
cannot find any seaweed on the beaches.  I am told that in North
Norfolk there is some to be had but it is not possible to get a car
anywhere near to where it is.  I intend to place an advert asking for
seaweed and hopefully someone will see a market and sell me a few
trailer loads.  I have been saving all my cardboard to place under it.

My clay really takes on a life of its own, to go and walk into the
veggie garden to get sprouts is to take a great risk with my size three
shoes, there are so many slippers and shoes buried in the clay that you
would have thought that this might have made some difference to it - it
hasn't.

 


judith lea wrote:

Both situations sound like clear cases for raised beds.

--
Mike.

 

I agree with Mike.
At home I tried to improve clay but to no avail.
Decided on raised beds initially used treated timber - not a huge area so
railway sleepers not really a viable option.
Now have gone all posh at the behest of HWMBO and now have redisigned the
veg raised borders with building blocks - three beds two blocks high -
expensive but looks really cool especially with proper paving slab paths in
between. Have just got one more block layer to put on my last raised bed
although it is currently growing my spring cabbages.
It takes a little time to build up soil levels,  unless your rich and can
afford lots of top soil and compost. I have been adding to mine gradually.
The soil is magnificent and the benifit is you know exacly what has gone
nto,
I love my raised beds.
Took over half an allotment about three months ago and would love raised
beds there although the clay problem is not too bad - maybe one day

Best of luck
Alan