This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Amending Clay (a bit long)

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

--------------------------- ListBot Sponsor --------------------------
Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I must object to the statement made by some that adding
sand to clay soil yields concrete.  This is totally untrue.

What tends to happen in my experience is the opposite;
clay soil absorbs sand, as it were.  That is to say, it
seems to have very little effect, in the same way that salt
seems to disappear when you add it to potatoes.  The way
around this is to add a *lot* of sand.   At least a couple
of inches to the plot would be a good start.  

Also, you have to add coarser types of sand; the stuff
with very small pebbles is best, as it helps break up
the clay better.  Using builders' sand is a no-no, as it's
too fine to make much difference unless you use huge
quantities.  

The whole "sand+clay=concrete" myth seems to stem
from clay's water-retention properties.  Often, folks
work clay when it's wet without even knowing it, but
doing so even when it's only slightly damp will cause big
problems, since the clods and chunks that form are very
hard to break up, especially if sand has been added.    
If you work clay when it's totally dry, and add a lot of 
sand, it really does work.

As others have said, however, it's absolutely vital that lots
of organic matter be added at the same time as the sand.  I
find coarsely screened compost to be great, as it has lots of 
bits of sticks and clods of organic matter in it that help 
loosen the soil, and further enrich it as they break down.
 
Jason
Omaha, NE


______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, write to sqft-unsubscribe@listbot.com
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index