Author Topic: Heavy Clay Soil (Read 18491 times)

sandra Riley · « **Reply #60 on:** May 02, 2008, 11:54:02 »

Such a nice response, thanks for that, we got our plot late last year and we still get excited about going up there, I love it, we waited about 3 years but it was soooo worth it, If you could have seen my face when my spinach had come throught he other day you would have thought I had one the lottery !!
An unusual side effect is..... an unnerving urge to constantly look in skips!!!!!!!!!
Or shrieking when you see a dumped pallett!!! is this normal ?????

betula · « **Reply #61 on:** May 02, 2008, 11:55:53 »

I am afraid it is Sandra ;D

sandra Riley · « **Reply #62 on:** May 02, 2008, 11:58:35 »

Glad to hear that, thought I was going mad!! or should I say mad-der!!!! :)

trinity · « **Reply #63 on:** May 02, 2008, 12:05:23 »

I am sorry to see that this that this posting has had offensive mesages posted on it and just have to say that albacore i am shocked that any one would resort to suggesting some one had learning difficulties i (cannot bring myself to post the word that u used) because they did not agree with u! my daughter is deaf and has learning difficulty's and has to put up with ignorant people calling her such terms all the time. every one is entitled to there opinion I agree with some of your points such as an allotment is hard work and waiting lists would be reduced ( then i might get a plot) but u seem to think that only your way of doing things is OK and unless Evey one who dose not do it your way fails to grow any thing then there are many ways of doing every thing

albacore1854 · « **Reply #64 on:** May 02, 2008, 12:17:36 »

here we go again.

On a number of posts I explained that I help people who try hard.That point was missed every time by the individual, and it was suggested I don't help anybody.Which is incorrect, I help people that I believe will be successful.I do not help people that i think will give up.This ensures I waste as little of my time as possible.

Fair enough, I agree, I should not have used the word I did, and if that has caused you offence, Trinity, I apologise.

The example of a kid riding a bike was used earlier, what if you spent time with say 20 kids, of those 4 learnt to ride.You would become aware of the pattern, and the character of those that were unlikely to master it.Therefore you would focus your time on those that had a high probability of riding, and perhaps coach them to a higher level, because the time you have available thorugh better qualification of the kids enabled it.

As has been said there is no right or wrong, however it would appear there is certainly a slant towards a single approach, favoured by a clutch of individuals.Gazfoz is correct, there needs to be a balance, I haven't necessarily gone about that correctly, and somebody more pc would be better at it.

twinkletoes · « **Reply #65 on:** May 02, 2008, 12:32:14 »

No albacore I would not abandon the other 16 people in that group just because 4 had managed to master the art of riding a bike. You would - sorry, the majority of people - would spend more time helping the other 16. You would find out what they were finding difficult to get the hang of and work on that. Are you suggesting that in a classroom of 10 year olds - if some are falling behind in their maths you would leave them to it and concentrate on working with the others who are managing better?.......I don't think so. I really think that you should stop "wasting" your time trying to "help" people here because you really are just "wasting" your valuable precious time.......
twinkletoes

Ishard · « **Reply #66 on:** May 02, 2008, 13:02:17 »

Hi Sandra and welcome to the board. ;D

Growing things is a passionate business and so some people get passionate about it. Dont worry it will blow over, these things usually do

Actually Im a volunteer in a special school and I would help anyone who needed it, so no Albacore I wouldnt stop helping them. Previously I was a nurse so most of my life has been helping in one way or another. :)

Sometimes when people think they cant do something and they finally achieve it the look on their face is priceless! ;D

As the great Voltaire said " I dont agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

This is what makes us a democracy guys :) Can we please drop it now?

trinity · « **Reply #67 on:** May 02, 2008, 13:51:49 »

apology accepted albacore thank u

bupster · « **Reply #68 on:** May 02, 2008, 16:48:15 »

Sorry, Albacore, but your analogy doesn't stand up at all. Of course you give more time to those who are finding it harder. The ones who find it easy to ride a bike don't need your help so much.

davyw1 · « **Reply #69 on:** May 02, 2008, 17:04:20 »

We started off digging in heavy soil and ended up digging at each others opinions.
Opinions are like a*&e holes, every one has one whether it be right or wrong it is still only an opinion, so in my opinion perhaps one can help out with getting you people with heavy soil some veg out of your garden this year with what you have available and what you can afford to spend.
Do you have well rotten manure
Can you afford to buy multipurpose compost, loam peat and sharp sand.
Is there any soil available that can be riddled, is there any moles in the area that is pushing up soil, if so collect it.
Can you afford a load of top soil
Do you have the timber to make raised beds.
Tell us what is available from the above and i am sure idea,s will come into people head for you to consider.
For example if you have multipurpose compost or riddled soil and sharp sand, riddle it in equal measures and mix it together. Make a wedge in the soil with you spade " V " fill it with the mix, water it so it drops then add more so it is higher than the soil. in that you can grow carrots or parsnips.
Get the idea.

Tee Gee · « **Reply #70 on:** May 02, 2008, 19:59:00 »

The timing of your digging can also help.i.e. get it dug and manured before the onset of winter and leave it rough.

You will find that winter frosts will help to break it up.

In spring just tidy up the top surface prior to planting out and your plants should grow quite well.

posie · « **Reply #71 on:** May 02, 2008, 20:34:09 »

davyw1 - what is riddled soil? I have googled it but can't find much information on there.

Tee Gee · « **Reply #72 on:** May 02, 2008, 20:42:00 »

Quote

what is riddled soil?

Similar to this;

posie · « **Reply #73 on:** May 02, 2008, 21:02:28 »

So the complete opposite to anything on my lottie!!! ROFL ;D

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #74 on:** May 03, 2008, 09:05:56 »

My first year the soil was all lumps, and full of couch and other horrors. Time and mulching make all the difference, I promise.

Gazfoz · « **Reply #75 on:** May 03, 2008, 10:28:26 »

Even without the frosts a bit of rain and weathering and raking makes all the diference

saddad · « **Reply #76 on:** May 03, 2008, 11:07:14 »

We were planting Carrots almost in the dark on Thursday as the rain had made the clay workable... in covered with compost and fleece (to stop it capping ? drying out before they come through, and keep the fly out!
;D

davyw1 · « **Reply #77 on:** May 03, 2008, 15:29:14 »

Talking of carrots just done mine or at least my first lot. Here is an option for heavy soil old water tanks from skips

I love skips me

The bath

Show Carrots

posie · « **Reply #78 on:** May 03, 2008, 21:34:37 »

Well I have now discovered that the further down my plot you go, the more the clay appears. After digging through this to put my dwarf broad beans in I now fully intend to go and buy lots of sand cos my bloody back is killing me!!! ;D

Fluffnco · « **Reply #79 on:** May 04, 2008, 19:32:34 »

I too have clay soil but have ( thankfully) a lot of memories of my grandfather and my dad cultivating their gardens ( we were almost self sufficient for most of my childhood) so am not going into cultivating my VERY over grown clay bound allotment with rose tinted glasses. It HARD work and i have nothing planted yet but...give me a few weeks and some decent dry days plus hours to actually be there ( I work in a residential home for adults with learning difficulties and work long shifts) and I'll get there and you know what? even if i only get my potatoes into the ground this year I'll be thrilled. :) If they grow half as well as the blinking weeds are at present then my crop is gonna be huge!!! ;)

No offence Albacorn( sp?) but surely the folks visiting this site ARE actually seeking knowledge not some easy fix or they wouldn't be here asking questions.

I understand your frustration at some folks not readily accepting your way of doing things which appears to be the way both my grandfather and father did their gardens but if the only visual offerings for newcomers these days to allotments is someone telling you to 'no dig' a plot in order to get something out of it this year ( aka the allotment videos )without telling you that tthis is because there is a school of thought that feels the 'digging' method may actually be causing long term harm to the soil layer in general or tell you that allotments and gardening is HARD work to begin with then yes, do go off on a tangent but please no upsetting people :(.....lets just accept that everyone on this forum, and many other forums like it, are seeking advice and knowledge and that there are many many ways of doing things these days...if the plants thrive and the soil is good then they all must be right even if we think it wrong or strange...personally I am having raised beds and also dug beds ( bit of both ;P) and I'm not afraid of the hardwork it will all entail although I reserve the right ,as a woman, to complain that I have broken x number of nails and also have blisters and/or a sore back at times or to moan and seek solace on this forum when I feel like giving up coz a humungous slug festival has demolished all my seedlings after I eventually get around to planting them. It's all about manners and allowing each person to seek advice and make their own decisions at the end of the day. Not about making assumptions and then insulting or upsetting folk.

BTW to the person who initiated this thread. Liming your soil helps clay soils by binding the fine particles together too and if I remember correctly as you rotate your crops the next years brassica bed is the one that you Lime prior to the winter setting in so gradually the whole site will get it's dose of lime and improve :) Lots of manure and leaf mould helps but it is gradual :) or you could do as I am going to do this autumn and lime the whole site barring where my next years potato bed will be ;) Don't lime a site less than two weeks prior to planting as it really burns plants and seedlings in it's raw state and needs time to be washed in :)

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Author Topic: Heavy Clay Soil (Read 18491 times)