I have read quite a bit on the internet on how to address as we have heavy clay. Seems quite a process to remedy it. What worked best for you? Advice gratefully accepted.
lythande1,
Apr 7, 7:01pm
Leaves.
Leaf mulch makes it dark and fluffy. Pile it on, when it rots down repeat. Takes time but produces the best results ever.
firefly001,
Apr 7, 7:08pm
And gypsum. Leaf mulch is fabulous stuff but I don't have deciduous trees. I feel like wandering around the streets cleaning gutters and people road frontage just to get my fix!
kiri6,
Apr 7, 7:16pm
Thanks. firefly I was considering the same thing last night
kateley,
Apr 7, 7:25pm
I've been known to 'clean up' the local cemetery in the autumn. There aren't often any other (alive) people there and it only takes a few minutes to get several rubbish bags full. (I've also done the gutters in the street, but only when heavy rain is forecast, then it's a public service, lol)
kiri6,
Apr 7, 9:11pm
Kateley do you add water and let them sit in the rubbish bags for a few months?
coop19,
Apr 7, 9:13pm
Being rural I am coming up to the time of year where I am looking for holes and low areas around the farm to dump autumn leaves from around the house and front of my property. I also have clay problems but mine is in a layer about 40cm down so I mainly have problems with its disposal when digging farm drains. (Which also fill with leaves) Then I have to find somewhere to spread the tailings. Using only leaf mould would take a very long term before you got any real result. I think perhaps a mixture of Gypsum and leaf mould mixed into the clay would speed the process but you would need to break into the clay surface for it to do its thing. It all depends on the scale of how big an area you are trying to break in.
kateley,
Apr 7, 9:32pm
I add a lot to my (5) compost bins, but also do the bag thing, and spread them around as mulch and frost protection when I moved here (16 yrs ago) the whole section was hard compacted clay. I spread gypsum (1kg/m2) and piled the compost on the top. Then spread more compost every spring and autumn. I don't dig it in, let the worms do that for you. Dig really big holes when planting and attack the sides and bottom of the hole so it isn't like a bucket, mix sand and compost with the soil you've dug out to backfill round the plants. Each year the soil improved and now my soil is lovely and dark, full of worms and easy to dig.
arielbooks,
Apr 7, 11:22pm
Wood ash from untreated wood is good too
tigger8,
Apr 8, 3:24am
untreated sawdust
firefly001,
Apr 8, 8:10am
Hmm I do know a lady who works for the council parks division so might talk to her about doing a run into the cemetery! We put a trailer load of sawdust and bark on the garden tonight but I will have to scatter blood and bone or manure everywhere
kiri6,
Apr 8, 8:52am
We have just moved to auckland. Who do you approach for untreated saw dust
sboydnz,
Apr 8, 9:05am
Excuse the French but, horse shit, by the truck load, (depending on how much land you want covered) Spread it over the area pretty thick wise. Worms will come up and take all the good stuff, add a bit of top soil next spring/summer & presto, you will have a good lawn as well. Opps, forgot, as others have said add all the leaves, untreated saw dust etc in as well. Get into it!
denise77,
Apr 8, 11:12pm
Bokashi compost, worm farm casts and gypsum all good as well, especially if it's only a small area.
Our puggy clay area is right by the back door, so couldn't really use manure.
kiri6,
Apr 9, 3:59am
Just ordered a bokashi composting system yesterday
family007,
Apr 10, 8:30pm
A lot of garden centres and nurserys sell used potting mix by the scoop or trailerload. Good for breaking up soil with gypsum added.
punkinthefirst,
Feb 7, 9:50am
Gypsum plus any and all organic matter you can find - untreated sawdust (from a sawmill), animal manure, old hay, silage stack bottoms, used mushroom compost (complete with bonus mushrooms in the season), leaves (not walnut), coffee grounds from a coffee bar, etc., etc. A little sand doesn't go amiss, either. Old hay, silage and animal manure is best put through a good hot compost heap first, to kill weed seeds.
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