How to Amend Clay Soil

Ideally, the soil in your garden should be loamy - rich,dark, and moist enough to squeeze into a loose ball that crumbles easily.

Some soil (like mine) is loaded with clay. When I dig a hole for a transplanted bush, I bring up heavy shovels of sticky clods of dirt. If I sqeeze those clods, they squish in my hands like a hunk of potter's clay. The problem with highly clay soil is twofold: it doesn't drain well and when it dries out, it hardens and cracks. Both conditions are tough on the roots of your plants.

If you're in my part of the world (SW Ohio) and you find yourself with predominantly clay soil, you can work on amending it by adding compost and other organic matter to the soil. If you're digging a hole to transplant a bush or a tree, add compost, peat moss, or even coffee grounds to help improve the soil around the roots of your plant. For a larger garden or bed, use the same amendments and work them into the soil as you dig and/or till each year.

Not into digging or tilling? I don't blame you - neither am I! You can wait until late fall and add layers of peat, compost, and those coffee grounds you've been saving to your beds. Over the long winter months, the worms will help you by breaking down the materials you added; you'll find better soil when you put your spade in the ground come spring.

Clay soil is tough to work with but amending it year in and year out will bring you closer to the loamy soil that gardens thrive on.

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