Air, water, earthworms, microbes, roots and seedlings have trouble moving through clay soil, so crop yields suffer. It adds air and helps break up clumps of clay. As clay become compacted if under pressure, it’s important not to walk on it. This is a lot of hard work and you need to do it when the conditions are right. The individual particles that make up your clay are extremely small compared to other soil types such as sand, silt or loam. APEC Water Systems 5-Stage Certified Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis. Is there a different product that will solve this problem? For the best results, add 4 inches of compost or aged manure to every square foot of clay soil and work it into the garden to a depth of 6 inches. On its own, liquid aeration offers limited benefit. We have an 800 acre ranch in Montana and while we do not have geysers like over in Yellowstone, we do get underground pressures that on occasion push clay dirt up into mounds. Compost and aged manure are both fast-working organic materials that will break down quickly and improve clay soil right away. While clay is an important part of healthy soil, too much can ruin soil. Ideal garden soil - Tilth. (The name "Gumbo" is a fitting name for the heavy sand-clay soil) It is not easy for plants to become established, but once they do, they often do well. They stay soggy when wet, and turn rock hard when they dry out in the summer. To improve clay soil you will need to: Work 2 to 3 inches of organic matter into the top 4-6 inches of the soil. Clay's potential as one of the best soil types for plant growth lies in its unique properties. They are dense and compacted and have poor drainage. Spread the soil into an even layer and dig down another 5 to 6 inches in the soil with a hoe. Super deep roots (up to 30ish feet) that get in and break up that clay, pull nutrients from down deep, and fix nitrogen from the air on top of it all. A common misconception needs to be cleared up here. Soils with larger particles have more air space and allow the passage of water more freely. Apply top-down soil amendments in layers only 2 or 3 inches deep to allow rain to percolate through. One often employed practice when gardeners attempt to amend their heavy clay soils is to add sand content. When clay soil isn’t prepared properly, a solid sheet of clay can be found underneath a layer of loosened/amended soil. GroundBreaker is a liquid soil treatment and clay breaker that changes heavy clay and compacted soils into useable soil without the need to dig. Wet soil has too much water in the empty space between soil particles. 2: Aerate Clay Soil. Want to know where else you will find this magic elixir? Keep adding mulch layers as they break down and become incorporated into the soil. Clay soils are generally low in both organic matter and microbial activity. It improves water penetration and aeration by changing the soil structure. And would using a "power rake" be a good method to rake in a thin layer of quality topsoil as well? GroundBreaker starts working immediately and maximum results will take 6 - 8 weeks. Clay’s small particles make it hard to dig through, but they also allow it to hold water much better than sand or silt. The organic material with break down quickly, so this is only a beginning step in maintaining an enriched clay soil. Grit sand for breaking up and improving heavy clay soil. The active ingredient in the vast majority of liquid aeration products is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. 6 Answers. Tilth is the physical condition of the soil regarding ease of cultivation, seedbed quality, ease of sprouting and deep root penetration. BREAK DOWN CLAY SOIL IN A PLANTING HOLE. -Barbara . These don't make their way into the dirt when spread on top, so adding them when you are mixing up the soil will get them further down where the roots of plants can benefit from them. Let’s break down each of these strategies and see how you can use them to improve the clay soil in your lawn or garden. If b y ‘break up or break down’ we mean working the soil to a tilth that allows the sowing of seeds, then there are two approaches that work very well. Don’t break up the lumps though. I've had the most success with seed mixes heavy on vernal alfalfa. Breaking the Soil Without a Till. Clay has high cation-exchange capacity, meaning that it readily holds on to and exchanges positive ions. Relevance. 1 decade ago. Allow the frosts and wintry weather to do this instead: it will give you a finer tilth. Heavy clay soil has so much clay content that it may overwhelm other soil types and break them down. How to Break Down Clay Soil Fast. and is this really good to spread over lawns with hard clay soil to improve grass? We Recommend. Many people instead have yards and gardens that are dominated by clay … Continue Reading. How fast does gypsum break down clay soil? So if you can make the soil particles in a clay soil larger you improve drainage and the texture. Lv 7. Parts of Texas and Louisiana have thick, gumbo clay soils. Favorite Answer. Chopped leaves stay in place, are more weed-smothering, and break down more quickly. Rosalind Riley. Thanks for your answers! Spreading compost on the treated area before tilling the sand into the soil helps make the soil more fertile. Get into the habit of standing on a plank when digging and only work on your soil in dryish conditions. Posts: 70. Hence clay soils are heavy and wet. When soils are this "tight", necessary air, water and nutrients can not move through them. Organic Mulch. Clay soils are relatively fertile because of this capacity to adsorb these important plant nutrients. If you still want or need to break up the soil, there are a few ways that you can go about doing it without a till. Clay soil is both the best and the worst soil you can have. 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