How do I lighten heavy clay soil? Want to grow lavender!

[ampere]

I have a narrow bed outside a new conservatory, 8 foot long, 15 inches wide. As far as I can see it's never been cultivated but I want to grow lavender in it (I have been given 12 plants and it's the obvious place).

The soil isn't really heavy but I think I should improve the drainage before committing so many lavenders to it!

How?

Dig through sand? grit? compost? All three?

Yes, all three! Do you have a compost bin? Sand does help but compost is best. If you can get some manure that would be brilliant as well.

I do have a compost bin but it's only 5 months old so no compost yet!

Will have to buy some.

Thanks!

Lavender is pretty tolerant of soil type -they can grow very large though so space them out well!

You can try liming the soil as well, as lime helps to break up the clay. Lavendar likes alkaline soil so this would be fine as long as you haven't got chalky clay soil already .

our soil is really heavy clay too, but we've had no problem growing lavender!
we did mix some compost through when we planted it,, but that's it

Add some lime, sand and grit. Lighter the soil is the better.

I agree with everyone else: i will add though that lavender is much happier in full sun.

Right.

Dug up the bed to 'improve' it with a couple of sacks of B&Q compost.

What it actually needs is a potters wheel.. Pure clay.

So even if I dig the top 12" out and mix with compost, there'll still be a sump of clay beneath to bathe those unhappy lavender roots in.....

SO Plan B,

I will post this an a new post but-

What can I plant which is lavender like but isn't??

Thyme? Rosemary?

What about using pots? I guess you would need quite a few if lining a path, but then you could mix in lots of grit easily.

Rosemary I think likes similar conditions to lavender.

Another person with heavy clay (ugh) and happy lavender.

Rosemary has done well too.

If you change the soil will it "return to type" eventually?