help, hard clay soil

we are planning on turfing a slopey part of our garden,we have just dug all the weeds up and was thinking about hiring a rotorvator to break down the clay soil. Do anyone know if this will work and where is the cheapest place to hire one in the Nottingham area.

 

I've never used a rotovator but digging clay has to be well timed. You have to catch it long enough after it's rained for it to have dried out a little but not long enough that it's set like concrete. There is a chemical called clay breaker which you can add when digging that helps break it down so that it doesn't just congeal back into one lump next time it rains. This works well with grit and humus.
If you're going to put turf on top can you not just make some drainage hole and fill with grit, then put a little top soil on top and areate the lawn regulary?

 

Yes use a rotovator, but you want to incorporate some gritsand at the same time. Heavy soils go solid again when you start compacting the soil by walking on. Spread sharp or grit sand at a rate of 1 tonne per 10 square metres and rotovate as deep as you can, at least 4 inches preferably 6. I would add that before you do that, heave the garden with a fork to a depth of 8 inches. This creates air pockets below.