Why Clay Soil is Special Soil compaction tends to be worse on heavy clay, so breaking up the soil to a good fork’s depth at the bottom of the planting hole is often very beneficial, as is working over a larger area than strictly necessary for the planting hole. Improving Clay Soil Options Improving Planting… Continue reading Preparing Clay Soil
Tag: Soil
Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges
This article is primarily about preparing soil before planting trees (ornamental or fruiting), hedging, roses, and other shrubs. It won’t consider vegetable beds, where more work might be justified, or perhaps No-Dig methods. Soil preparation is important because it helps strong roots to establish quickly. If the roots struggle to settle in, the whole plant will struggle. Like so many things in gardening,… Continue reading Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges
The Best Trees Suitable for Heavy Clay Soils
Most trees are happy growing in heavy clay soil, as long as it does not get waterlogged in Winter Clay soil is fertile soil, the problem is that low-lying sites tend to trap water in winter, and exposed clay bakes hard in Summer. Most trees grown in the UK will thrive in clay where: So… Continue reading The Best Trees Suitable for Heavy Clay Soils
Do Woodchips Make Soil Acidic, or Take Nitrogen from the Soil?
The short answer is no, woodchip mulch does not make soil acidic. However, if you are gardening on chalk, woodchip mulch will tend to reduce the pH closer to neutral. Questions about mulch in general and in particular the effect of woodchips on soil arise with every generation of new gardeners. People know that woodchips… Continue reading Do Woodchips Make Soil Acidic, or Take Nitrogen from the Soil?