dead as a doornail

trying really hard to have a wonderful garden,,trouble is at the moment its like a sponge the rain does not drain at all just stays on top and below the surface,just takes a long time to dry up,so therefore my garden is all clay?so has anybody got any good ideas of how to have a lovely colourful garden this year

 

Not necessarily clay, it could be just compacted or low lying or you live in a place with a high water table. Before you can really do much with your garden you do need to solve the water problem.
So, soil type. Take a handful and squeeze it hard. If it stays together in a lump (like plasticine or playdough)then it could be clay, Rub it between your fingers, clay soil feels smooth.
If it is clay then you need to add gritty material like sharp sand, gravel and possibly a bit of lime. Also organic material is most useful.
Another thing to do is to dig a hole. Say at least 2 spades deep and about 18 inches across. Compacted soil would show as a very hard solid layer somewhere in the hole. If you find it, then you need to dig the garden and break it up.
Fill the hole with water (unless it fills itself) and watch how quickly it drains away. the slower, the more likely it is that you live in a low lying area or have a high water table.
Come back on here and let us know the results of your testing for further more detailed opinions as how to proceed.

 

thanks everyone for that ,but i did dig a hole acouple of months ago which filled up naturally with water,and its still full?

 

if i dig my garden one foot deep and throw all the clay in a skip then ordered a few ton of topsoil,my problem would be fixed,is this a good idea

 

I'm a beginner too, but I'd have thought if you did that you would just end up with mud on top of clay I'd have thought you'd have to sort out the underlying drainage probs or add an awful lot of topsoil - but I dunno! I'm probably totally wrong!!!! :rolleyes: One side of my garden is clay, so I do sympathise with you. I've dug and dug and dug, added manure, grit and compost - so i'll be teasy if they say I needn't of bothered :D :D

 

Sounds like you have a fairly high water table, you could order your topsoil, but have raised beds. Put some drainage material on the bottom before you fill in with your soil, And if you do go for raised beds. Drill some drainage holes (low down)in the material that you build the beds from. That way you should raise everything above the water table and be able to grow lots and lots. I did read somewhere that drainage channels don't always do the job very effectively if they are dug on level land.

 

One thing you do need to find out is where the water is coming from, into your garden. There is ,as pointed out, little point in putting soil in your garden if the water from everywhere else is draining onto your land. You just end up with a load of wet topsoil.
Then if you do decide on field drains and a soak away, remember that these only work if you interrupt the flow of water from elsewhere. For example, if the water is draining into your garden from the north end, then you need to put in a ditch or drain there, to stop the water entering your land. Put it at the South end and all you are doing is draining your neighbours property! Either way,it is a big job! Believe me I know, I have done it!