Amending Clay Soil

[ALHILLDIRT]

Anyone have any ideas on a cheap way to amend clay. I have a heavy clay soil on a slope approximately 2 acres. I've hauled in topsoil to cover other similar areas, but that can get expensive in a hurry given the quantity required. My end goal is to seed with a grass cover. Anyone have experience with using sawdust? Or any other ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Egon]

There are no cheap fast alternatives.

The addition of organic matter in some form will help.

Growing gras and letting it decompose back into the soil will work but does take time.

 

[ampsucker]

i would say you "have" to incorporate organic matter in. clay is composed of very fine particles of silt. you need to break them up and intersperse large particles to keep them away from each other so things like water, oxygen and roots can penetrate the matrix.

i would wait until it dries out, then rent/buy a rear tiller/plow/harrow/disc etc and incorporate all the dead leaves, grass clippings, mulch, etc. you can find as deep as you can get it economically. then, this fall, seed in your ground cover of choice.

depending on your area, ice storms may have left a lot of branches close to your area which can be a cheap source of mulch if you can find them. just about any organic material will do. some do take longer to decompose than others.

good luck,

amp

 

[ray66v]

I am on my second home where the entire property is composed of clay fill. This time it is about 4 acres. After trying everything out there, I have come to the conclusion the only reasonable option is to plant the grass in the clay, you may not have quite as nice a lawn but, it is possible to grow very nice grass in clay. You just have to feed it more.

For the garden, the least complicated way I have found is to add commercial compost. In this area, this tends to be made from decomposed mulch and mulch byproducts. It is effective, and contains no weeds, (I consider this a big bonus). It does however, have a strong odor, much like you get with some mulches. This can last a few weeks.

If you have a slope, tilling in anything can be a problem. Particularly with erosion. I would consider a slit seeder and sow in the soil as it is, if this is a concern.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Some good advice so far. With regard to using sawdust, yes you can till it directly into the soil but as it decomposes it will deplete the nitrogen content so you have to add more fertillizer with a higher nitrogen component. With sawdust, I find that it is better if you compost it before adding it to the soil.

In short, anything organic or even sand, will help to open up the soil but grass can be grown successfully on clay. Why not chat with your local extension agent to find out the best varieties for your area and soil type.

 

[jbrumberg]

There is no "quick fix" . I agree with all the previous posts. Incorporated organic material will initially deplete your soil of nitrogen as the soil microbes break down the organic material. You could also add ground rock powders for micronutrients. You should also test your soil for NPK. I use a soil test kit- they are not expensive. Jay

 

[ToadHill]

Organic matter is the only way to amend clay soil. If you add sand to it you will get a good substitute for cement. It is also said that adding Gypsum will help but studies have shown that to amend a quart of clay with gypsum you need 4 quarts of gypsum, not a fun prospect.

Actually some clay in garden soil is a good thing. It contains lots of trace minerals.

 

[Onthesauk]

To break up the clay in my garden area, I hauled in about 20 yards of fresh cow manure/sawdust bedding from a dairy farm. This each year for 3 years. The sawdust was from a hardwood mill, mostly alder and maple so probably better then fir and hemlock we normally get here in the NW.

 

[VABlue]

Amending 2 acres can be an expensive option. If you have the time and don't need a picture perfect yard next week, just plant the grass and feed it well. Check with the local co-op for the right kind of grass seed. Till up the area before seeding, smooth it out, seed, then cover the seed. You can also mix clover in with the grass. Clover will add nitrogen to the soil and grows in anything - it's a good natural fertilizer. You will probably want to add fertilizer well above the label recommendations.

Of course, keep it watered and keep people/animals off it for the first few months. If you can do that, grass will grow well enough to look good.

 

[john_bud]

If there is a paper mill around, the waste product is spread on fields to add organics. Fairly cheap.


You will probably need lime too.

jb