Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Improving My Clay Soil
Improving my clay soil when I have no clue (or had no clue) what clay soil is when you start is not the most enjoyable learning experience.
I grew up in central Ohio which has good soil and now I'm in northeastern Indiana which has this really nasty slimy grey stuff. It's not dirt as I know it but it is what I have to work with.
I'm not sure what the soil toward the top would have been like if the builders hadn't taken whatever passes for top soil in this part of the country away. I'm not sure what they did with it but I know they took it and I'm a bit annoyed about it.
When we moved to this house (several years ago) the soil was totally barren of critters. No worms or other creepy crawlies to be seen. I finally saw my first worm after about 2 years. I was thrilled and am still pretty protective of my worms. If your looking for fishing worms I'd suggest looking elsewhere. NOBODY is hurting one of my babies.
I kind of assumed when we moved in here that I could go out and clear sod and plant stuff. That's how it always worked in other places that I have lived but it didn't exactly work out. I had to learn about improving my clay soil and since I didn't realize exactly what I had it took me a bit of time and study.
I've learned a lot about things like "the bathtub effect" and various other unpleasant terms that people who garden in clay soil toss about casually.
I pretty much throw anything that will decompose into my planting beds and they are in different stages of becoming decent soil. The only thing that has not worked out well is peat. Peat and grey clay does not seem to be a good match.
My clay is happy with sand, mulch, grass clippings, shredded paper, and coffee grounds but not peat moss. I don't want to get into a big thing because I know most people do not approve of adding sand to clay but it's been working great for me. My soil couldn't get more like concrete so I wasn't too worried about adding sand to it.
Slowly but surely it is coming along and the proccess of improving my clay soil is about 2% complete.
I grew up in central Ohio which has good soil and now I'm in northeastern Indiana which has this really nasty slimy grey stuff. It's not dirt as I know it but it is what I have to work with.
I'm not sure what the soil toward the top would have been like if the builders hadn't taken whatever passes for top soil in this part of the country away. I'm not sure what they did with it but I know they took it and I'm a bit annoyed about it.
When we moved to this house (several years ago) the soil was totally barren of critters. No worms or other creepy crawlies to be seen. I finally saw my first worm after about 2 years. I was thrilled and am still pretty protective of my worms. If your looking for fishing worms I'd suggest looking elsewhere. NOBODY is hurting one of my babies.
I kind of assumed when we moved in here that I could go out and clear sod and plant stuff. That's how it always worked in other places that I have lived but it didn't exactly work out. I had to learn about improving my clay soil and since I didn't realize exactly what I had it took me a bit of time and study.
I've learned a lot about things like "the bathtub effect" and various other unpleasant terms that people who garden in clay soil toss about casually.
I pretty much throw anything that will decompose into my planting beds and they are in different stages of becoming decent soil. The only thing that has not worked out well is peat. Peat and grey clay does not seem to be a good match.
My clay is happy with sand, mulch, grass clippings, shredded paper, and coffee grounds but not peat moss. I don't want to get into a big thing because I know most people do not approve of adding sand to clay but it's been working great for me. My soil couldn't get more like concrete so I wasn't too worried about adding sand to it.
Slowly but surely it is coming along and the proccess of improving my clay soil is about 2% complete.
Easy Kitchen Garden
Creating an easy kitchen garden in my backyard is my current obsession. I tend to jump around from interest to interest and right now it is vegetable gardening. I have this really nasty grey clay subsoil to work with (yipee?) and I'm learning all about gardening in clay.
I've been in my current home for a few years but haven't attempted a vegetable garden because getting the soil to a place where it can actually support a plant has been an ongoing process.
I tend to learn best by messing up and I figured this would be a good place to document my adventures (or misadventures) in growing an easy kitchen garden. I'm only expecting the most forgiving of vegetables to produce but I'll be planting more than just the simple stuff.
Right now I'm waiting for the radish plants to sprout. Radishes are so easy even I should not be able to screw them up but...I'm waiting so I'm not completely sure yet.
I've been working on attempting to improve my clay soil and since prior to this house I have never grown anything in clay I've had to learn quite a bit. It would have been easier (I think) if I had known what I was in for before I ever started but I didn't and that's that.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy my tale and the excitement of the easy kitchen garden.
I've been in my current home for a few years but haven't attempted a vegetable garden because getting the soil to a place where it can actually support a plant has been an ongoing process.
I tend to learn best by messing up and I figured this would be a good place to document my adventures (or misadventures) in growing an easy kitchen garden. I'm only expecting the most forgiving of vegetables to produce but I'll be planting more than just the simple stuff.
Right now I'm waiting for the radish plants to sprout. Radishes are so easy even I should not be able to screw them up but...I'm waiting so I'm not completely sure yet.
I've been working on attempting to improve my clay soil and since prior to this house I have never grown anything in clay I've had to learn quite a bit. It would have been easier (I think) if I had known what I was in for before I ever started but I didn't and that's that.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy my tale and the excitement of the easy kitchen garden.