Clay SoilGardening on Clay SoilLove's Farm is built on a south facing slope of clay (deposited during the last Ice Age which ended about 10,000 years ago). Gardening on clay soils can be very rewarding, as the soil is naturally fertile, however, it is also quite hard work. The aim of this information sheet is to help you get started.
Characteristics of clay soil
Clay soil has really small particles (less than 0.002mm), which makes it heavy and sticky when wet, hard and compacted when dry. A classic test is to see if you can take a handful and rub a little between finger and thumb. It will form a ball or sausage quite easily if it has a high clay content.
Clay soils can be acid or alkaline, so it can be useful to buy a cheap soil testing kit to find out. This will help determine which plants will grow and what types of soil improver to use.
Options for gardening
The average gardener has two affordable ways of extending the range of plants which will grow on a clay soil. One is improving the structure of the soil, the other is raising up the growing areas above the clay.
· Soil improvement
Many trees and shrubs can cope with a clay soil once their roots are well established. However, if you improve the soil, allowing more air to circulate, your choice of plants will be wider and they will have a greater chance of survival. Improvers fall into two categories, organic (plant origin) and inorganic. There are details of the more common ones below. If your soil is very badly drained, which much of Love's Farm appears to be, then deep digging, coupled with adding the soil improver will give the best results, but is very hard work. This is known as double-digging and there is more information on the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) website www.rhs.org.uk (Search for 'How to double dig').
Organic soil improvers
Organic in this context is referring to material produced from natural sources. It may or may not have chemicals in it. Mulches should be around 5-8cm deep.
o Soil conditioner produced from the County's recycled green waste. Available in bags, at a minimal cost, from St Neots Recycling Centre in Huntingdon Street. Can be dug in or used as a mulch. There is a risk of seeds germinating from it, but these can be hoed off.
o Composted bark is available in bags from garden centres and can be dug into the soil immediately. Fresh bark chips are best used as a mulch, as they can absorb nutrients from the soil if dug in.
o Well rotted farmyard or stable manure is often seen in bags on the roadside in the countryside around St Neots. Only use after it has rotted down for at least a year, as fresh manure, particularly horse, can burn plants. Allow about a barrow load per square metre. It can also be used as an annual mulch.
o Garden compost. You can start creating this from kitchen vegetable waste and shredded paper. There is a huge variety of bins available to purchase from many sources, but look out for offers through Huntingdonshire District Council too. For more information about home composting search for 'Home Composting' at www.rhs.org.uk .
o Leafmould. Never throw leaves away! They are nature's mulch, free and given time, produce a lovely, dark crumbly, material. Great for improving any soil and can also be used to make your own potting compost. Search for 'Making Leafmould' at www.rhs.org.uk for more details.
o Green Manures are plants whose roots break down the soil and fix nutrients. There are specific types for the time of year and soil type. Green manures can be dug in or cut and covered with a mulch a few weeks before you want to begin planting. Search for 'Green Manuring' at www.rhs.org.uk for more information.
Inorganic soil improvers
o Grit and coarse sand are the most useful. However, as a large amount of these expensive materials are needed to open up a clay soil, they are best concentrated into small areas and combined with one of the organic soil improvers above. Grit is most often used as a mulch around plants which prefer dry crowns, such as alpines. It can also be used to make drainage paths. A layer of grit can also be put in the bottom of planting holes to reduce the risk of root rot, particularly for bulbs and corms.
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 Raised bedsMade from wood, recycled plastic or even concrete, raised beds need to be at least 15cm deep to be affective. They can of course be a lot deeper, but as they need to be filled with new soil, it pays to start small. They are particularly good for growing vegetables, herbs and salads but are just as affective for ornamental plants too. The key point to remember is that you need to be able to reach into the middle from all sides, as you do not want to compact the new soil by walking all over it. Several one metre square beds may be more useful for you than one large bed. You can fill the raised beds with top soil or bagged compost for containers.
Recycled Plastic supplier - Filcris Limited, The Old Fire Station, Broadway, Bourn, Cambridge CB3 7TE. Tel: 01954 718327. Website: www.filcris.co.uk
More information
The Royal Horticultural Society has a comprehensive garden advice section on its website, www.rhs.org.uk, including a sheet on improving clay soils.
Garden Organic members have access to a very good set of factsheets on-line on the website www.gardenorganic.org.uk. The sheets can also be purchased by non-members.
RoSPA(Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)has a downloadable leaflet about safety in the Home and Garden and it can be found at:-http://www.rospa.com/homesafety/advice/general/checklists.htm
Photo credits
Image of clay soil above, reproduced with the kind permission of the RHS.
Image of raised beds, reproduced with the kind permission of Friends of Sudbury Meadow.
This leaflet has been produced by St Neots in Bloom, in association with Huntingdonshire District Council's Countryside Service and Cambridgeshire Horizons.
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Love's Farm Events
Wednesday, 8 February 2012 - 7:30pm
Thursday, 1 March 2012 - 7:30pm
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