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Allotment growing on heavy-clay soils - any tips?

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  • #1

    Allotment growing on heavy-clay soils - any tips?

    Evening all,

    I have inherited half of my neighbours allotment patch as he is struggling to take it all on and I have finally got round to doing some digging. There is about a spades depth of loamy loose soil with the rest being 100% clay.

    Today I decided to pile up the top stuff (dig over the soil of which the weeds were growing in) into a rounded edged mound whilst putting the clay clumps around the side to help prop up this mound - my thinking was that piling the 'good stuff' up was easier than digging deeper to get al the clay out!

    I was then thinking of using one of those composter-turners (they are like big screws whch enable you to twist and dig into the soil and pull out to see the soil layers if that helps you picture it) to make some holes through the layers of the top-soil with the weed layers at the bottom and putting in some compost to grow some crops.

    I was wondering if a) anyone has done this before and b) any tips to making the most of what I have?

    Many thanks,

    Samuel
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  • #2
    I don't understand, why not just grow in the loamy stuff? Why are you trying to get rid of all the clay?
    Last edited by zazen999; 21-05-2013, 09:02 PM.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Samuel1988 View Post
      I was wondering if a) anyone has done this before and b) any tips to making the most of what I have?

      Many thanks,

      Samuel
      My tip is - grow in what you have - why make work for yourself? The more you tinker with the soil, the less beneficial it will become. A lot of gardeners practice "no-dig" for these reasons. And before you ask what that means - here are a couple of threads about it!
      http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dig_70684.html
      http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tem_70368.html

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      • #4
        No Samuel. NO NO NO. Don't try to dig the clay out. Don't make piles of anything. Just pull the weeds out and plant stuff.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by rustylady View Post
          No Samuel. NO NO NO. Don't try to dig the clay out. Don't make piles of anything. Just pull the weeds out and plant stuff.
          Could you make that a bit clearer?

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          • #6
            If you have a spades depth of nice soil then don't mix it with the stuff underneath. Try to make this layer deeper by mulching, adding compost etc.
            As long as it drains ok - if not then you need to do something about that.

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            • #7
              I have a few mm on top of solid clay with boulders so with a spades depth of good stuff you'll be fine!
              Le Sarramea https://jgsgardening.blogspot.com/

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              • #8
                I just stick my fork deep into the clay and wiggle it about to improve the drainage a bit, but agree with the others - deffo don't bring the clay up to the top, you'll spoil the topsoil you have.

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                • #9
                  Our ground had clay about 15cm below the surface when we moved in in 1982. It still has clay - undug and untouched but it's now 35cms below the surface. (We live just North of Stoke On Trent so clay there is in abundance:-)

                  Lots of compost, leafmould and shredded plant stems. Like 10cms a year in parts.

                  Digging out clay is a back breaking job and a waste of effort in my view. Despite what you do, you will always get round lumps of solid clay.

                  Don't dig it - cover it.. is my motto.

                  And raise the beds.. and good drainage through ground drain if needed.
                  Last edited by Madasafish; 22-05-2013, 08:39 AM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Samuel1988 View Post
                    I have inherited half of my neighbours allotment patch ...
                    Go and walk round the allotment site, see what's growing and how it's being grown. Is anyone else making mounds? Is everyone growing in raised beds, or just in the soil?


                    Clay IS damn hard to dig, so don't dig it. It's also very nutritious and holds onto water well. As you have loose loam on top, it sounds ideal to me. Put your plants in the loam and their roots will find their way down into that lovely nutritious clay.
                    All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                    • #11
                      You won't "dig out the clay" in London - London clay was deposited when southern England was ocean, and if I may quote from wiki: "The London Clay is well developed in the London Basin, where it thins westwards from around 150 metres (490 ft) in Essex and north Kent to around 4.6 metres (15 ft) in Wiltshire".

                      So unless you're planning on digging half way to Oz, you'll never get it out. As everyone has said, grow on top of it and encourage soil life with lots of manure and H/M compost to gradually turn it and mix it for you.
                      Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
                      Endless wonder.

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                      • #12
                        I'm on clay. The village had a clay pit (now a lake) supplying clay for the bricks which line the sewers of London. The bricks are very heavy, we have one as a doorstop! I have no trouble growing on it, especially after adding compost for years.

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                        • #13
                          I have clay. And I refuse to dig. It hurts, I'm a wimp, and do most things for an easy life. I might turn it over a little with spade from time to time when things have grown. But I plan to add things to it, such as poop. And also cover with cardboard, newspaper and green manure. Mainly lots and lots of fenugreek, i think, perhaps mustard.

                          And yes, raised beds. I concur whole heartedly with that one-not everyone does, it's a new fangled thing-and I like 'em.
                          Last edited by horticultural_hobbit; 24-05-2013, 09:33 AM.
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