Drainage

I'm after ideas on improving our soil drainage, I created our first flower bed this year and it's done surprisingly well throughout the summer however as the weather has started to change I've noticed how heavy the soil is around the plants and the lupin and hosta are starting to look worse for wear! I'm pursuing that's the case anyway.

Im struggling to find any 'horticulture' grit, pea shingle or anything that's well below 10mm in our local diy stores.

As it's not stocked in our local diy stores it's making me question is this the correct route to help drainage in our clayish soil?

 

Hi Shirley, I mixed at least one or two bags of 125l bags and then dressed the top however all you can see is our normal soil so our worms must of been busy!

Is there a compost you would recommend or any particular qualities I should look out for? rather than me looking for the cheapest bulk buy

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I'm surprised you haven't been able to find sharp sand in the diy shops, Wildsam. It helps drainage a lot. That and organic matter, such as manure, will help drainage on clay soils immensely.

 

I can only apologise for my terrible eyes !! Hahaha

I think drainage could definitely be improved even more so with the new border as it's tucked away and runs with the fence.

Sadly don't get many leafs HOWEVER the rarely used road near us is covered so I'll be visiting there soon!

Redwing - I've came across plenty of playing sand if that's the same stuff...? I ideally wanted grit as could remove if to much was added! All diy sites say they sell bagged manure but none of them are near me

 

Not playpit sand. Try a builders merchant for sharp sand.

 

Wood ash is also good for opening up the soil if you can get hold of any and dig that into your borders.

Most plants are now shutting down for the winter and saving all their energy ready for giving you a beautiful display next year.If you have old dead flower spikes on your Lupins you can cut them down saving any seed pods ready for next year and it will make the plants look nice and tidy

 

Hi wildsam,
As redwing said, builders merchants or quarries would be your best bet for buying grit.

 

May I also point out, clay soil, (as long as it is not blue clay) has more nutrients than any other soil.

 

I don't see any point in adding sand/grit to clay. Organic matter would be more helpful in improving the soil structure. Lupins and hostas should be dying back now anyway, nothing to do with the soil.

 

I beg to differ, Your Maj. Organic matter does improve soil structure but the quantities involved to make a permanent difference are beyond the reach of most private gardeners.
Digging in horticultural grit once, as well as the addition of organic matter, is a very quick, effective and permanent way of creating a better growing medium.

 

Had a fairly successful trip yesterday!

Found gro sure farm yard manure at homebase was definitely wasn't there last time! Then shot off to Travis Perkins for grit they only had about 30kg of some random old stock but for £1.20 I wasn't complaining!

Just had a quick read up on hostas, didn't realise they died back so will divide as it's done well considering how small it was when I bought it!

Thank you all for your words of wisdom