Garden Help - how to improve soil?

Hughlene Dunn
by Hughlene Dunn
The areas I have to choose from for my gardens are large amount are mostly clay. There was a coal mine here. So all the good soil was covered by feet of clay and poor soil. I've hauled in Sandy loam and cover with straw, leaves and chicken litter. Now I've been adding shredded paper. Any suggestions on how to improve the soil. I'm trying to work with several areas and well water is available.
thank you for your help. Zone 6-7
Hughlene
Claremore Oklahoma







  7 answers
  • Eileen Eileen on Mar 17, 2018

    Sounds like u are on the right track. This may help u. http://www.finegardening.com/article/improving-clay-soils

  • I agree with Eileen, you're doing the right things by improving the soil. I had clay when I moved here. Amended with whatever I could get my hands on. Shavings, my Dad had some old bags of vermiculite, torn paper, leaves, chicken manure (from Dads chickens), we had a couple of rabbits so we had a little bit of theirs to toss in LOL, grass clippings, etc. I'd bury vegetable scraps anywhere in the dirt. Just kept adding to it until one day i went to bury scraps and i had WORMS!!!! I knew at that time I Could start hardscaping then planting. Wishing you all the luck with your garden, Keep truckin' ♥

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Mar 17, 2018

    It can take a long time to get clay soil made into workable garden soil. Keep at it and it will happen. Until then, maybe you could do some raised gardens, so that you have some areas you can plant right away, just make them deep enough to support good root growth of the plants you put in.

    • See 1 previous
    • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Mar 18, 2018

      Good luck with your efforts, I hope your care with the soil works for you soon! Check into the raised beds, You can purchase kits at most home improvement stores, I know Home Depot has pages and pages of them. Like I mentioned before, just make sure they will be deep enough to provide good root growth above the clay soil. Look at what is available and you should be able to find something you like and copy it to build your own if you want. Have fun digging in the dirt. I feel like such a kid when I'm in the garden. I love it!

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Mar 17, 2018

    Adding a little sand will also help to loosen up the clay lumps. Start up a composter and put your kitchen waste in it to break down. No meat or fat. Keep it wet and turn it once in a while. Grass clippings or left over remnants from plant pots is good too. This will give you excellent soil which you can add to your garden.

  • Bj Bender Bj Bender on Mar 17, 2018

    add lime to the clay, it will help loosen and add top soil as a mix


  • Hughlene Dunn Hughlene Dunn on Mar 18, 2018

    thanks Janet another one to print so I can use it. I appreciate your help