is everyone's garden really squelchy???

my new garden has clay soil so its always going to be wet I know but the back garden although not actually underwater is very very squelchy? i know its been the wettest january ever but just want to reassure myself that evryone on clay soils has a similar problem??

 

Clay doesn't mean it will always be wet. Quite the opposite in fact. In a hot dry spell it can bake as hard as concrete and so dry that it cracks. Digging in plenty of bulky organic matter like compost or manure is the answer.

Welcome to the forum by the way @flower-power

 

sorry forgot to say. redditch-west midlands. My last garden about 20 miles away was also on clay and i had that house from new and soil when i left was as good as it was going to get and had put loads of work into it. this new garden is on a house that was built in 70's but has nothing in it apart from grass -which is good in a way!

and thanks for the welcome

 

Hello flower-power and to GC.
Yes, the garden's squelchy here...lawn has gone yellow and threadbare, dread to think what's happening to plant and fruit tree roots! We're on clay too and have tried to improve at least the border areas with literally tons of well-rotted manure and sharp sand. Can't get horticultural grit here, but if you can get hold of a lorryload of that, with plenty of organic matter, it'll make a big difference to your plants. Here's to a warm, dry Spring

 

well I am sorry you have a squlechy garden too ! but glad mine isnt the only one. I cant rememeber what a day without rain is like!

 

My front garden drains really quickly, today whilst trying to do a little tidying, it was very squelchy, so gave up as doing too much damage to lawn.

 

wish I had loads of sand on mine. LOL

 

oooh thanks.......

 

Sand is cheap enough, but if you go down that route, I wouldn't waste time and effort buying it by the 20kg sack from the DIY shops. Better to just order it in by the tonne (or half tonne) from the nearest builders merchants.

My dad ordered half a tonne of sharp sand and grit mixed (the builder's merchant he uses mixes it for you, to your own recipe if you ask them). It cost him £35 and that was including delivery.

 

Yep, my veg plot is basically a 3 foot high raised bed, even thats had standing water on the top of it this winter

Still got spuds in there to dig, just been too wet to walk on.

 

I will be having to get some type of gravel and topsoil so I might as well have some sharp sand at the same time to save on delivery, but having to wait until maybe march time

 

I have gardened on clay , in hot summers cracks would appear in the middle of the lawn , I used to stick the hose in but it never filled with water , that was before meters also cracks in the house wall, tree lined avenue helped with that.

For the borders I bought a tonne of pea shingle to dig in and it did work , it opens up the soil structure , some plants loved the soil others hated it, soon found out what didnt grow !! but it was rich in plant food and very rarely had to supplement feeding .
But like you soaking wet in the winter.

Hey enjoy the forum as well

Spruce