Plants will not grow well in clay soil.
Clay soil is soil in which the individual particles are as fine as dust. Clay particles pack together very tightly so that air and water cannot move well through the soil. As a result, the soil becomes waterlogged in wet months and rock-hard in summer. Plants grown in clay soil may become stunted from being unable to push through clay or obtain minerals from the soil. Or they may become waterlogged from the lack of drainage. The only way to improve clay soil is to amend it using organic materials.
Instructions
1. Dig a soil sample of 1 quart soil from the ground over 10 locations in your clay soil. Place this soil in a bucket and stir until it is mixed completely. Spread the soil over a newspaper and allow it to dry. Collect 1 cup of soil in a plastic bag and take it to a soil testing lab for an analysis. Your county extension service can recommend a good lab. A soil test can tell you your clay soil's structure and make a recommendation for amendments to improve the soil. Common soil amendments recommended by a soil test include peat moss and compost.
2. Break up the soil to a depth of 12 inches with a rake, spade or rototiller. Spread 3 cubic feet of peat moss, or one bale, per 100 cubic feet of soil. Turn the peat moss into the clay soil with a rake, spade or rototiller. The organic content of peat moss will loosen and areate the soil.
3. Plant a nitrogen-rich cover crop, such as clover, in the spring. Plow this cover crop into the soil in the fall to create more nitrogen in the soil and increase the organic content while at the same time adding fiber that will increase drainage.
4. Add a 4-inch layer of compost to the soil and mix it into the soil with a rototiller or spade and rake.
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