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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

Terrible soil!

9 replies

Catspaws · 09/04/2018 15:24

Help! Total gardening newbie here so please assume I know nothing.

I've just moved into a new build with a garden. I've done a little digging and underneath a very thin layer of topsoil the whole thing is very dense, waterlogged clay.

I've got some raised planters to et going on immediately but I would like some borders eventually as the garden is a very unforgiving square at the moment!

My question is, how do I improve my soil? I don't think anything could survive in it at the moment!

Also - are there any plants that thrive in very wet clay?

OP posts:
Onesmallstepforaman · 09/04/2018 17:31

Digging in a good soil conditioner will gradually help. I bought some in plain black bags last year 50 litres for £3. At the end of autumn, if you've used growbags for tomatoes etc, dig that in too.

langlandgirl2 · 09/04/2018 17:37

loads of plants and shrubs for wet clay, though will also depend if in sun or shade. Crocus is good for ideas and gardeners world forum has loads of posts about wet/clay soil. I've got clay here too however my problem area is in the shade so even more of a challenge.

SurfnTerfFantasticmissfoxy · 09/04/2018 17:38

You could also raise your borders (use sleepers or a low stone / brick wall) to widen the range of plants that will survive - you can fill it with graded topsoil

PicklingGherkins · 09/04/2018 17:45

My garden is the same as yours but with careful choosing of plants it's full of greenery and colour. Clay is full of nutrients for the right plants. In particular I have roses, helibores, foxgloves, violas and fuchsias. I can't wait for summer already.

Original poster
Catspaws · 10/04/2018 14:29

Thanks everyone! Excellent tips ☺️

OP posts:
snowdr0p · 10/04/2018 16:43

Links got smooshed together

www.crocus.co.uk/bomcard/_/ready-made-border/clay-soil/classid.2000008597/

outabout · 10/04/2018 16:44

As a thought, if it is still a mess at the moment you could invest in getting a few tons of decent graded topsoil to give a decent thick covering, maybe having some of the clay stuff removed if there is not space for more soil on top.
Obviously a big job but MIGHT be worth it if you want greater range of plants and less waterlogging in the future.

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