How to Amend Clay Soil

Clay soil can be black or red, is as fine as dust, and is hard for plants to move through. Clay soil is waterlogged in wet months and rock hard in summer.

If water does reach a plant’s roots, the plant will drown because water can’t escape. This is called root rot.  Clay soil does not provide enough food, water, or oxygen for plants to grow well.

You will need:

shovel, spade, gardening fork, or rototiller, amendment (compost), mulch

Step 1:

Remove all weeds, grass, and large rocks from your garden bed.

Break up any large clumps of soil and till soil to 8 inches with either your shovel, spade, gardening fork, or rototiller.

Step 2: Add amendments to the soil

Add your compost to your garden and mix your material with your clay soil.
Add mulch. Mulch reduces weeds, helps the ground keep a good temperature, keeps the right amount of water in the soil

Allow the dirt to rest for a week before planting anything in it.

About Me

I am a person of varied interests. I am a Master Scuba Diver and have dove the Florida Keys wrecks, Bimini, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cozumel, and Bonaire. I love photography, handcrafts, gardening, writing, and painting. I have been married 37 years and have 2 grown married children. My husband and I have lived in 7 states.