I'm here again asking for advice! the OH has started digging our new plot and discovered the soil is full of lumps of clay - does anyone have any ideas on how to make the soil better? We would like to grow sprouts (which are in pots at the moment) and maybe carrots, parnips from seed to start with.
Many thanks
Helen
i have lumps of clay, too :)
now, it's very difficult to get any kind of 'tilth' going on our soil. i am now resorting to sowing anything in a compost drill - i.e. draw a drill, sow seeds then cover with a compost rather than the soil itself. this also shows you nicely where you have sown stuff, and where the seedlings are supposed to come up :)
as for brassicas, i have planted mine deep and just made sure i had some finer clumps to go around them. i have large clumps or rock solid clay all over my beds, in between the plants. hopefully, when the plants grow and start overshadowing the soil, these clumps will have a chance to be moist for a while and fall apart and into the soil.
have a look in the gallery at my 'walworth allotments' thread - you can see the clay bricks in my beds on the second posting quite clearly.
but: rejoice for the clay! because it will save you no end of watering in the summer! my beds look bone dry but an inch down it's all lovely and moist :)
yay! :D
svea
PS: other than digging in manure and waiting for the worms to mix it all, of course :)
I am in my first year and although not particuarly clayee, becasue it has not been dug and cultivated for about 2-3 years, mine is hard to get fine also. I am growing everything in modules, trays and pots and platning out when they are big enough so the soil condition is not such a problem. I am hoping that a years of planting (and the necessary soil improvement that goes with this), hoeing and harvesting may mean the soil will be in better condition next year (will still have lots of stones though)
I had some horrible lumps for the first couple of years, but it's nothing to worry about. Just keep on working in organic matter, the worms will soon deal with the lumpiness.
Thanks everyone - we will keep working on it!
Helen
Hi Munchkin,
          The old timers at our association say that planting Raspberries will break up the clay.
On my own plot I had Raspberries all the way round the border, not wanting them I dug them up and the soil where they were planted is the best soil on my plot.
It is obviously the fine root system that does the work, I am now going to plant Raspberries where the clay problem hinders my efforts to cultivate the soil.
                               PREMTAL
Hi Premtal
I had not heard of that one - may be worth a try! we have so far dug through a tonne of 'soil conditioner' (compost from the local council) and it is looking not too bad. We have dug enough for our needs now, and hope to work on the rest of it for next year. I say we - my OH has done all the hard work and has done really well!
H