In the Netherlands, in our so called "polder" we basically live on a sea bed surrounded by dikes to keep the water away. We live at about 6 metres below sea level here. Sea beds are famous for consisting mostly of thick clay. This is all I could find up here!
You never truly know your grounds untill they have been soaked completely. With this months' rain fall extremes, the soil in our garden has been soaked to the maximum and I discovered that lots of puddles build up on the surface. On the entire surface...
What I also found was the grounds being so full of rain worms that I can barely walk anywhere without stepping on one! That is even after the birds have picked away a lot of them. This must be a sign that the soil is very good for planting, ain't it?
All this clay is perfect for holding nutrients and (during summer) water. Should I still loosen it up using sand or should I leave it exactly as it is right now?
Thick wet clay, any advice?
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
-
oldherbaceous
- KG Regular
- Posts: 13861
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:52 pm
- Location: Beautiful Bedfordshire
- Has thanked: 282 times
- Been thanked: 315 times
Mixing some very coarse sand in to the clayey soil, can only help to make the soil even better, Elmigo...it gives the plants a chance to build a good root structure up, and with a plant like that, you are well on your way to getting a good crop...there's not many plants that like sitting in water-logged, airless soil.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
We were faced with similarly heavy clay in a garden many years ago (in fact, there was a pottery not far from us which used this clay!). We applied copious manure, some grit and then did, as Geoff suggests, grew only potatoes the first year. After that, the soil greatly improved, not least through all the earthing up and digging for spuds, and we were away!
Thank you all for the amazing advice! Today I used sand to loosen the thick clay pieces. Before the plants are put in there I'll use some compost to mix through it. It's starting to look like something! 
Still have to do the rest of the garden.
Getting very excited now.
Still have to do the rest of the garden.
Getting very excited now.
- 20200301_184443.jpg (394.84 KiB) Viewed 3673 times
- 20200301_184529.jpg (364.63 KiB) Viewed 3673 times
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 290 times
Looking good Elmigo and hopefully a combination of sand and warmer inside temperature will help dry that soil out quite quickly.
Looks like you managed to maximise your internal growing area with minimum standing room and not a centimetre of growing space wasted . Are you intending to grow direct into the ground or in pots?
Have you got a maximum/minimum thermometer on your shopping list? I imagine the temperatures in there could range quite extensively, even at this time of year on a sunny day, and in the height of summer could even scorch leaves/potential crops unless you can provide some shading.
I drape a thick long white nylon net curtain over the roof of my mini plastic greenhouse which works very effectively. I find this is much more robust than fleece which tears quite easily and doesn,t last long.
Looks like you managed to maximise your internal growing area with minimum standing room and not a centimetre of growing space wasted . Are you intending to grow direct into the ground or in pots?
Have you got a maximum/minimum thermometer on your shopping list? I imagine the temperatures in there could range quite extensively, even at this time of year on a sunny day, and in the height of summer could even scorch leaves/potential crops unless you can provide some shading.
I drape a thick long white nylon net curtain over the roof of my mini plastic greenhouse which works very effectively. I find this is much more robust than fleece which tears quite easily and doesn,t last long.
Perhaps I need some nylon for the summer then. Thermometers are on my list for outdoors as well. I'm planning to grow in the soil but I'm starting to think squeezing potted plants inbetween will be inevidable, considering how much I grew on the balcony last year. Obviously the walking space will be as limited as it was again! I just love being surrounded by all that green everywhere. If only it was possible my living room would be an indoor jungle with its very own eco-system 
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 290 times
You may have to curb your enthusiasm Elmigo or it may be the first time in history a Horned Melon plant is cited as a correspondent in a divorce case
You could always build a long narrow conservatory across the paving slabs in your garden and fill it with exotic plants but by the time you've finished it might end up being cheaper to move to a bigger house and garden. That's the problem with being a keen gardener - you're always running out of space to grow all the new things you haven't yet tried!
You could always build a long narrow conservatory across the paving slabs in your garden and fill it with exotic plants but by the time you've finished it might end up being cheaper to move to a bigger house and garden. That's the problem with being a keen gardener - you're always running out of space to grow all the new things you haven't yet tried!
-
oldherbaceous
- KG Regular
- Posts: 13861
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:52 pm
- Location: Beautiful Bedfordshire
- Has thanked: 282 times
- Been thanked: 315 times
WHEN... 
you put pots of plants between the ones that are planted in the soil, Elmigo, make sure they are firmly pressed into the soil, or even let them in a little. the roots are more than likely to come through the drainage holes in the pots and enter the soil...this will help with reduced watering and feeding...of course, if the pots don't have holes, this won't work...
you put pots of plants between the ones that are planted in the soil, Elmigo, make sure they are firmly pressed into the soil, or even let them in a little. the roots are more than likely to come through the drainage holes in the pots and enter the soil...this will help with reduced watering and feeding...of course, if the pots don't have holes, this won't work... Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Last year on the balcony I had potted plants on top of large pots from my tiny fruit trees. Roots went through the top layer of stones and into the soil of the fruit tree, learned my lesson haha
Primrose, a divorce involving horned melon plants doesn't even seem that crazy anymore to me
Primrose, a divorce involving horned melon plants doesn't even seem that crazy anymore to me
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 290 times
I find my peppers and chilli pots get pretty warm in my plastic greenhouse but the roots never seem to mind the heat as long as they're kept well watered. In really hot weather it's the skins of the fruits which seem to get damaged as the liquid in them scorches.
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 290 times
Not having a proper greenhouse i. don,t know the answer to that but I,m sure somebody else will. I imagine it partly depends on
the level of watering and how much ventilation there is in allowing the consequent humidity to escape.
the level of watering and how much ventilation there is in allowing the consequent humidity to escape.