Chumasande MatiwaneClay soil is known for being heavy, difficult to dig, and compact, and gardening with it is sometimes hard. But with the right soil management and plant selection, you can use it to your advantage.
Understanding clay soil
Gardeners are aware of the reputation clay soil has. The heavy dense particles of clay make it hard for water movement, which is not conducive to root growth. With all of that, you can however harness the unique properties of clay soil to your advantage. The good news about working with clay soil is its ability to be improved. Improving clay soil takes an effort but you can make it easier to work with. It is best to improve an entire planting area by incorporating organic matter like compost or manure to help break up the clay particles. The clay soil will take time to change, so be patient before planting.
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Planting on clay soil
Although it can be difficult to work with, clay soil provides a lot of wonderful things for your garden. The soil structure of clay makes it more fertile than many other soil types, holding a lot of nutrients. With improved soil clay, you can save on watering and reduce the number of times you feed your plants.
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The soil provides a wonderful foundation for plants by anchoring roots securely in the soil, provided the clay soil has been improved well enough before planting. Some perennial and annual plants do well in clay soils. Doing proper soil management and plant selection you can grow plants such as:
- Daylily
- Viburnum
- Butterfly bush
- Echinacea
- Phlox
- Bee balm
A garden filled with these clay-loving plants will give you a colourful garden worth the work and improvement you put into it.
While gardening on clay soil may pose some challenges, don’t be intimidated by the soil’s reputation.
ALSO SEE: HOW TO IMPROVE THE SOIL IN YOUR GARDEN
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