think I am giving up gardening n taking up clay modelling with this

I had a fair few plants I had bought and was eager to get in the garden. I have an amelanchier I bought which was destined for the 'dark side' of the garden. I started digging a big eneough hole but this is what its like. the first two inches or so are what I loosely term soil. there on down forever is this clay!!! no wonder the garden took so long to drain.
I am concentrating mainly on the sunny side this year. i am getting 2 tonne of top soil and some sharp sand to try to improve the consistency.

The house was built in the 70;s . For at least the past 8 years the previous people did no gardening at all . dont know about before then but after what I found this week i dont think anyone living here has ever had plants and stuff!!

 

Welcome to clay gardening. A few of us on the clay belt and it can be heavy going to begin with. I've been working mine for years now and still have a quick cursing session at the clay every year. It does get easier with work though.

 

my last garden was clay and a new build but nothing like this!!! apart from top 2 inches it appears to be solid red clay!! I have some horsey poo to put in on the other side

 

I'm thinking of giving up on digging at the moment. I am overcoming a recent relapse of anorexia my nice thick arms have gone to waste and I have no energy to dig my heavy clay soil anymore. People say take it easy but the soil won't improve itself and it leaves me exhausted just planting my potatoes.

 

I do so sympathise with you all My UK garden was on yellow clay and it took 20 years of throwing at it everything I could lay hands on....old compost, sand, grit, manure, shreddings etc. But the good news is that it does pay off! The best bit of all was a bed where we did the text-book preparation. Double-dug a barrow-load per square metre of well-rotted and another barrow-load of fine grit. Don't lose heart, girls, at least when it's improved, the plants don't suffer from drought as they would on light soil!

 

If the soil in my garden had been like that when I moved here nearly 4 years ago, I'd have been happy. I can see dark brown bits in yours. Mine was just like the red clay bit. To even start digging it over, I had to go at it with the pick axe just to get a dent in it.

I bought a load of spent mushroom compost and dug that in, along with whatever other compost I could lay my hands on. Its much better now, so I know it is doable.

@PeterS has given us as much proof as we need that you can have a nice garden on clay soil, if you put the work in up front

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/improving-clay.21951/

 

At least clay has a lot of nutrients in it. The anerobic properties mean that it doesn't get leached by rainwater although it can smell a bit sulphourous when you dig it over.

 

If it has a distinct red tinge, it's had (relatively) recent exposure to oxygen, as the red comes from oxidised iron. Its grey and stinky when there's been no oxygen down there, and then its likely to be acidic too. At least that's what it says in one of the books I have.

 

i know its going to take lots of hard work. i used mushroom compost in last house but cant seem to get it anymore unless i am willing to pay £125 a tonne which i am not!! glad to hear that people have gardened on the likes of this or worse!