I successfully made a garden in clay by mixing in coarse sand and manure until it was workable to about 12 inches. I used about equal amounts of both, mixing with the clay until it "felt" right -- I could burrow my hand deep into the mix.
Clay generally takes substantial lime to get pH up to acceptable levels, while sand much less so. You must test, and you must mix thoroughly with the soil because nature takes a long time to distribute lime. David Smead www.amplepower.com On Thu, 27 Mar 2008, Paul Buechler wrote: > Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:02:11 -0500 > From: Paul Buechler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Harold Haas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Mike McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: Ray Schutte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > [email protected], > Susannah Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Tossing clay > > > Here in northeast Dallas,Tx we have alot of black clay. > I use a 2" layer of expanded shale and a 2" layer of cotton burr compost. > The shale improves drainage for a very long time and the porous nature of > shale holds moisture in drought conditions as well as air when the soil > would otherwise be waterlogged. > Then top dress with 2" of your favorite mulch. > > Paul > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Harold Haas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Mike McGrath" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: "Ray Schutte" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > <[email protected]>; "Susannah Evans" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 1:48 PM > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Tossing clay > > >> >> I agree. Clay is good soil; full of valuable minerals and nutrition. The >> clay is so tightly bound that it will not give up the nutriants easily. >> The >> compost and gypsun [ I have used old seet-rock tillered in the garden ... >> some call sheet-rock' "gypsun board"] anyways it helps loosen the clay >> platelets up so they give of their richness. Work organics into the soil >> and watch it grow a great garden! >> Harold Haas >> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Mike McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> I only remove the big clumps of stuff that are better suited to making >>> pots >>> than growing plants. >>> >>> Although almost total excavation IS the prime advice in Mel Bartholomew's >>> Square Foot system.... >>> >>> ----McG >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Ray Schutte" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: "'Mike McGrath'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Susannah Evans'" >>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 1:01 PM >>> Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Soil Amendments >>> >>> >>>> Why remove soil that is full of valuable minerals and nutrition. Mix >>>> it >>>> with the compost and gypsum, It is some work but no more than removing >>>> the >>>> clay. I have successfully done this and the resulting garden was well >>>> worth the time. It will be a few years before you can grow great >>> carrots, >>>> but you can condition an area for that. Keep in mind sandy loam one of >>>> the >>>> most desired soils is clay based. The best advice has been to add >>> organic >>>> material, add organic material and add organic material. You will >>> admire >>>> the results. >>>> >>>> Ray Schutte >>>> >>>> "The truth of the matter is that the flower has cleverly manipulated >>>> the >>>> bee >>>> into hauling its pollen from blossom to blossom." The Botany of Desire, >>>> Michael Pollan >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of >>>> Mike >>>> McGrath >>>> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:29 AM >>>> To: Susannah Evans; [email protected] >>>> Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Soil Amendments >>>> >>>> What Ken said: Get a big load or two of compost and/or well aged >>> mushroom >>>> soil delivered. >>>> I'll add that physical removal of large deposits of clay is very >>> effective >>>> and emotionally satisfying. >>>> forget the gypsum--all the books recommend it, but in 30 years I have >>> yet >>>> to >>>> >>>> hear a farmer or gardener say it worked as promised. And 10-10-10 id >>> pure >>>> unbalanced garbage. >>>> >>>> Remove as much clay as you can, mix in lots of good compost and you >>> won't >>>> need any added food the first year. >>>> ---Mike McG >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Susannah Evans" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 1:12 PM >>>> Subject: [Community_garden] Soil Amendments >>>> >>>> >>>> We have a communal community garden in Columbus, OH - 40' by 80' with a >>>> clay >>>> >>>> based soil. Our group has had several conversations about amending the >>>> soil >>>> to help break down the clay. Gypsum was suggested and I was wondering >>>> if >>>> there was a good source of gypsum that would be considered organic? We >>> are >>>> not a completely organic operation, but we try to consider everything >>>> we >>>> add >>>> >>>> to the soil to make the best decision. Also, we are interested in >>> starting >>>> some of our vegetables within the next month. Would gypsum be ok to >>> apply >>>> now and till in or should it be applied in the fall. >>>> >>>> It was also suggested to add some 10-10-10 fertilizer to boost the >>>> soil. >>>> We >>>> are going to have a soil test done soon to see if we have specific pH >>>> or >>>> nutrient deficiencies. Any recommendations on some good organic soil >>>> amendments that could be added in the spring (or suggestions for >>>> fall?). >>>> We >>>> are looking to grow potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, bush >>>> beans, >>>> >>>> lima beans, peas, lettuce, broccoli and celery. >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Susannah Evans >>>> Epworth Veggie Garden >>>> Columbus, OH >>>> _________________________________________________________________ >>>> Watch "Cause Effect," a show about real people making a real >>>> difference. >>>> Learn more. >>>> http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/MTV/?source=text_watchcause >>>> -------------- next part -------------- >>>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >>>> URL: >>>> >>> http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygar >>>> den.org/attachments/20080326/bed85625/attachment.html >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of >>>> ACGA's >>>> >>>> services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to >>> find >>>> out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org >>>> >>>> To post an e-mail to the list: >>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: >>>> >>> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.commu >>>> nitygarden.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of >>>> ACGA's >>>> services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to >>> find >>>> out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org >>>> >>>> To post an e-mail to the list: >>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: >>>> >>> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.commu >>>> nitygarden.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of >>>> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA >>>> and >>>> to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org >>>> >>>> To post an e-mail to the list: >>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: >>>> >>> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of >>> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and >>> to >>> find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org >>> >>> To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] >>> >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: >>> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org >>> >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20080327/c2a32b0e/attachment.html >> _______________________________________________ >> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of >> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and >> to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org >> >> To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: >> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > > _______________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's > services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out > how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
