Planting shrubs in clay
Discussion
Some plants actually like clay, it really depends on what they are.
We have fairly heavy clay in our garden so I tend to dig down about a foot or so and mix in about 30% sharp sand or grit to the clay, works fine for us and most plants do fairly well.
Either that or if you are struggling to grow stuff, build some raised beds or planters.
We have fairly heavy clay in our garden so I tend to dig down about a foot or so and mix in about 30% sharp sand or grit to the clay, works fine for us and most plants do fairly well.
Either that or if you are struggling to grow stuff, build some raised beds or planters.
We have just started gardening more, and Mum bought us 'What Plant Where' which we have found good.
https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/RH...
Sorts things by soil type, if they like shade, sun, damp, free draining, etc. Always easier to work with what you have not against.
Daniel
https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/RH...
Sorts things by soil type, if they like shade, sun, damp, free draining, etc. Always easier to work with what you have not against.
Daniel
Does depend on what you're planting, yew for example would die in boggy ground but a lot of shrubs will be fine. Mix some organic matter and mulch around them once a year if you can - will help massively. I'd use some coarse grit when planting and fork the bottom of the hole to aid drainage.
It's not going too well at the moment.
One half of the garden is OK the other a bit of a mare, same level. Dig down 30cm, hole starts filling with water, smash up the limestone, hoik out the rock, dig some more slop out, smash some more rock, and on it goes.
Bale out the hole, and they just fill up again.
Am I best avoiding planting this area, until the ground is less saturated?
One half of the garden is OK the other a bit of a mare, same level. Dig down 30cm, hole starts filling with water, smash up the limestone, hoik out the rock, dig some more slop out, smash some more rock, and on it goes.
Bale out the hole, and they just fill up again.
Am I best avoiding planting this area, until the ground is less saturated?
The RHS have some good advice and recommendations for planting in wetter areas,
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=303
If this area is always wet would it be possible to build some raised beds?
Cheers
Jeff
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=303
If this area is always wet would it be possible to build some raised beds?
Cheers
Jeff
Is the whole area clay from the of, or is this perhaps a new garden where the developers have scalped the top soil of? Might Explain when some area is better than others?
If it is the case the the top soil has been removed, it may be that you need to replace it, which might involve removing some of the clay to start with.
A more clay soil is one thing, but what you are describing sounds more like sub-soil than anything else!
Daniel
If it is the case the the top soil has been removed, it may be that you need to replace it, which might involve removing some of the clay to start with.
A more clay soil is one thing, but what you are describing sounds more like sub-soil than anything else!
Daniel
Wilts_jeff said:
The RHS have some good advice and recommendations for planting in wetter areas,
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=303
If this area is always wet would it be possible to build some raised beds?
Cheers
Jeff
Ahh thanks, good link. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=303
If this area is always wet would it be possible to build some raised beds?
Cheers
Jeff
I suspect it may be super compacted. We've moved some sheds, and a concrete base. I might leave it a week or two and see what happens.
Dig a one foot hole and fill it up with water.
See how long it takes to drain.
This will tell you how much of an issue you have.
If you want a nice planted garden, you need to either select plants which do well in clay, i.e. their roots are fine smashing through the clay soil or dig down fairly far and mix in some grit and compost.
In our garden, I tend to dig down about a foot and mix in about 50% compost to break up the clay.
I have managed to grow quite a few things successfully in the ground and for things which struggled, I just built a few raised beds.
See how long it takes to drain.
This will tell you how much of an issue you have.
If you want a nice planted garden, you need to either select plants which do well in clay, i.e. their roots are fine smashing through the clay soil or dig down fairly far and mix in some grit and compost.
In our garden, I tend to dig down about a foot and mix in about 50% compost to break up the clay.
I have managed to grow quite a few things successfully in the ground and for things which struggled, I just built a few raised beds.
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