Planting shrubs in clay

[PositronicRay]

Some largish shrubs, top soil is pretty sloppy clay. Once down 30cm it's getting v wet, scooping out rather than digging, the constancy and colour of diarrhea.

Should I put sand and or rubble in the bottom? Or just plant as normal with compost?

[PositronicRay]

Thanks chaps.

It's just the drainage I was querying, I know it's been wet recently but I don't want the roots waterlogged.

I'll dig in some sand 1st then plant normally in compost.

[PositronicRay]

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?

[PositronicRay]

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.

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.