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Garden Gate:  Clay Soil  |
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corporatefarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
389 Posts
Tamara
Pikeville
TN
USA
389 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 06 2009 : 11:46:56 AM
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Do any of you wonderful farm girls have tips on improving clay soil? 
live well,
Tamara
www.thegoodearthfarm.com
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children"
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2009 : 12:16:07 PM
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we have a combination of both clay and beach type sand here/living on the coast.
Unless I plant near a tree where the soil tends to be richer..I generally have to amend the soil a little bit.
I usually add a little compost or peat into the hole of a plant that I am planting. I also have created raised beds for vegetables. I create a 3 part mix in the raised beds. I combine even amounts of top soil, compost, and peat and use this to fill in my raised beds.
I do encourage you to start a compost bin, and to test your soils ph balance to determine just what your soil may need for different types of plants.
~I Dream of a Better World..where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!~
blogs:http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and http://thevictorygardener.blogspot.com
magazine: www.stliving.net
etsy shops: http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com
and http://myvictorygarden.etsy.com |
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Ingrid
True Blue Farmgirl
432 Posts
Ingrid
BC
Canada
432 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2009 : 09:14:19 AM
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Lots and lots of compost. We live in Chilliwack BC - and have really bad clay soil.
Clay is not fun to work with but once you get the soil amended plants grow nicely.
Ingrid
Give thanks to yourself everyday for all the wonderful things you do! |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2009 : 09:20:35 AM
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Compost, compost compost, leaves, straw, sand, We have clay soil here in Klamath falls Oregon too.. I had a small garden last year in a par tof the ground that the previous owner had put topsoil in but definately not enough. We have spread straw ontop and will till it in later when the ground thaws with compost and other materials. Hopefully by June we can till everything in and plant . We have a very short growing season.. So by July we can have plants developing. Good Luck.. It may take a couple years to get it right...
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Klamath Falls "Charming Chicks Chapter" Mother Hen
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
You never know when what you say or do will make a difference...Kerry Kennedy
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Jessi Lynn
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
New York
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 3:23:19 PM
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I use a lot of compost and peat moss too but I also plant cover crops in the fall. When spring comes I mow down the plants and turn them over.
jessi lynn |
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 4:37:20 PM
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Lots and lots of compost. We also sift out the rocks. Got one last year that was probably close to the same weight as my lightest kiddo when he was born (he was just shy of 8lbs).
And I know it's not particularly popular, but we still do buy a bag or bale of peat moss a season as we're still working on our blueberry bed and such, so leftovers or whatever doesn't get worked in immediately ends up in a pile wherever a new bed's being put together (dug up/tilled/etc.). Once things are to the right acidity we should just be able to maintain with pine needle mulch and compost and such. At least, that's my goal.
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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Garden Gate: Clay Soil |
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Clay Soil
