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CLAY SOIL

Started by Fingle...., February 17, 2004, 11:32:09

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Fingle....

February 17, 2004, 11:32:09 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
Digging over our patch in Surbiton. Soil is clay based and prone to a bit of drainage trouble before it was dug over (still tends to pool water in the corners, but i figure mounding the beds should protect plants from rotting )

Have access to manure 2 miles away but no van so would ideally like to keep the movement of it to a minimum (will be using a car !! ewww)
I see lime is also used.....any tips on quantity needed for about 7 beds in a 125m sq plot ?? Do i need to add to all the beds or just brassicas ?

Concerned of Surbiton

----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

Fingle....

February 17, 2004, 11:32:09 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

aquilegia

#1
February 17, 2004, 11:37:02 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
I've got horrid clay too.

I've dug in a lot of manure and garden compost into my patch. It really helped and last year's crop was the best so far.

I don't have a car, so collect it whenever someone else is heading that way - fill up old compost bags in the boot. The smell isn't too bad (but then I do ride so I'm not bothered by the smell of horses!)

I plan to dig in gravel when I can afford it too. It's helped in the worse areas.
gone to pot :D

Fingle....

#2
February 17, 2004, 11:56:17 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
how many bags did you dig in per bed ?
----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

aquilegia

#3
February 17, 2004, 12:00:24 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
My veg bed is about 50cm x 3.5m. I put about 80 litres of manure and another 80 of compost.
gone to pot :D

Fingle....

#4
February 17, 2004, 12:41:22 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
GOOD GOD !!!!

Il need a JCB !!!
----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

aquilegia

#5
February 17, 2004, 12:47:35 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
Why how big's your patch?
gone to pot :D

Fingle....

#6
February 17, 2004, 13:51:25 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
At least 7 beds of 24" by 6-7 feet !!
----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

DarkSkies

#7
February 17, 2004, 14:18:32 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
QuoteDigging over our patch in Surbiton. Soil is clay based and prone to a bit of drainage trouble before it was dug over (still tends to pool water in the corners, but i figure mounding the beds should protect plants from rotting )

Have access to manure 2 miles away but no van so would ideally like to keep the movement of it to a minimum (will be using a car !! ewww)
I see lime is also used.....any tips on quantity needed for about 7 beds in a 125m sq plot ?? Do i need to add to all the beds or just brassicas ?

Concerned of Surbiton


Its not the allotments by the smelly sewage works adjacent to Berrylands station is it?  I used to reside opposite The Rising Sun pub.  

I have concrete clay in the luxurious surroundings of Vale Road Allotments in Claygate now.

Fingle....

#8
February 17, 2004, 15:32:44 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
It is indeed !!!
----"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx---

Hugh_Jones

#9
February 17, 2004, 20:30:11 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
Hi Fingle. Regarding the question of liming - the best advice anybody can give you is to buy a pH meter (about £10 from any decent garden shop) and test your soil in several places.  Most vegetables prefer a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0, and if you get a reading within this range you don`t need to lime except for the brassicas, which love it .

If your pH is below 6.5 then you can lime in moderation, but NOT where you intend to grow potatoes, which hate lime and get scabby.

Lime (where it can be used) will also help improve the clay because it causes an electrolitic reaction in the minute particles, causing them to precipitate and improve the `crumb` structure of the soil.  However, the one point you must bear in mind is that lime should never be added in the same growing season as manure, so if you have the (well rotted) manure available, dig that in now and lime in the autumn if required.

Doris_Pinks

#10
February 17, 2004, 23:28:22 Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400
Hey fingle, my new beds are clay too! I didn't know wether to grow stuff or make pots with it!! (have been a potter in my time!, thought I might have had a sideline there!)  Have dug in bags of coarse grit and compost and horse pooh! Then the beds are going to grow (hopefully) a marvellous crop of potatoes to help break up the soil!! I have done them as raised beds to aid the drainage! Nice to know someone else is battling the backbreaking stuff too :-)  DP
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/
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