Soil improvement : -was :] Precious Doll,

When I started gardening in Red River Gumbo - sticky clay - I trenched double spit (2 shovels deep) filled the trench with leaves & grass clippings well stamped down and watered, then replaced the soil by making the next trench. You ended up with a raised bed.  When this settled down (the following year) I planted it.  Of course, had very little bloom after planting that spring but it worked. This was 5 years ago.  Every time I have an empty bed I do this again. 
Now have wonderful soil, very easy to work.  Also, do not have to water nearly as much.  As I mulch with grass clippings/leaves (Not too many slugs here) weeds are very easy to pull, soil stays moist much longer.

 It is a major job to do this but couldn't think of anything else to do, that wouldn't cost a fortune.
Ginny



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Hey Guys,
Adding sand to clay soil = cement. Go ask your extension agent or soil
scientist. They will explain the chemistry of it. Lots of organic matter is
the way to lighten soil. Dig it in to your bed when you divide your iris.
If drainage is the problem, you need to go to a raised beds or drain pipes.
A great soil sitting in a "bowl" of clay is still not going to drain.
Back to the organic matter, the more "raw" or non composted it is, the more
it will tie up soil nitrogen. If you are fertilizing though, it should not
make a difference. And as the organic matter breaks down into humus, the
"tied up" nitrogen is made available to the plants.
Also you need to take into account how fast the organic matter breaks down.
Finely ground leaves are fast, wood chunks will take several years to break
down. Watch out for bark, some compost quite fast, others like redwood bark
don't.
Need more information? Get with your local organic gardener. Their whole
life should be geared to building a great soil.
Karl Miller
Lark Label
Custom Imaged, Solid metal, Plant Labels
120 North Old Manor
Wichita, KS 67208
316-682-5275 (voice)
316-682-5276 (fax)
larklabel@kcisp.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shawna Coronado" <scoronado@solpart.com>
To: <sibrob@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 7:43 AM
Subject: RE: [sibrob] Precious Doll


> Ken,
>
> I have added hardwood bark chunks into my soil and completely rototilled
it
> under.  The negative of this, like with standard mulch, you eventually
have
> to worry about a lack of Nitrogen.  When the wood decomposes, it sucks the
> Nitrogen out of your soil.
>
> Thanks!
> Shawna
>
>
>          One of the recommendations I got was to improve the soil
> drainage.  So, over the last few years I've added lots of coarse sand to
> the native heavy clay.  That may be a factor in what seems to be a
> decreasing problem.  Adding hardwood bark chunks has also been
recommended,
> presumably because that improves drainage too.
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