Suggestions for rock hard clay soil

I'm trying to sat up some native & tropical garden beds.

I'm in SE Qld,my soil is ROCK hard clay literally can't turn it over have to dig my planting holes with the pick axe and fill the hole with organic compost.

Can anyone suggest something I can water into the clay soil to help break it up and repair the years of damage?

We've only recently moved in.

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Comments

darylhewston

Hi @jeanette01, I came across this the other day. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s972701.htm it may help a bit. Also try http://www.yates.com.au/products/fertilising/specialised/yates-gypsum-clay-breaker/#HA7oqVyIef9oOHtU.97

greygardener

@jeanette01

As Daryl has suggested, you will want to buy bags of gypsum to help break down your clay soil. There is also a product that you can spray on but the powder is more effective.

Good luck.

Isobel

This looks like another good Gardening Australia fact sheet on improving your soil - http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1503292.htm

In addition to gypsum, it mentions mushroom compost, blood and bone, complete fertiliser, chicken and sheep manure and dolomite to build up layers and improve the soil.

dj0003

as a self employed gardener I recommend

Richgro All Purpose Garden Soil Mix 25L $3.95

it contains soil wetter & gypsum which will aid with

breaking up the clay etc.

check it out at www.bunnings.com.au

cheers

dj0003

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/1256#Comment_1256

you'll find all the Richgro range an excellent products at an excellent price !

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/62901#Comment_62901

Thanks for joining in the discussion and a very warm welcome to Workshop @dj0003.

As a professional gardener I'm sure you will have a lot to offer the community in terms of advice, information and expertise. I trust you will also get some ideas from other members of the community.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of your posts soon. Please let me know if you need a hand getting the most from the site.

Jason

Great to see you get plenty of helpful suggestions for improving your soil @jeanette01. Please let us know how you go down the track.

Jason

jeanette01

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/1302#Comment_1302

Thanks everyone for your helpful tips,I sure will I'm thinking of using compost,seasol with conditioners & water savers

Trying

Hi Jeanette01, I lived in SE Qld for many years and started with the same garden problem you are facing. The answer is gypsum,good compost,and elbow grease.And plenty of all three ! Good luck to you.

Andy_Mann

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/62929#Comment_62929

@jeanette01

I subscribe to OneYardRevolution on YouTube, & came across this vid about how his woodchipped pathways have become fully enriched over time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCtafUgoCX0

Jewelleryrescue

Hi Jeanette01 I killed a few trees and plants digging holes in clay and just filling them with organic compost. I am not saying you did this like my rookie mistakes. What happens is clay can form a water bowl and they drown, raise the plants up in soil and compost out of clay 300mm min as a guide. Or used raised 300mm garden beds if this suits.

I also have super super hard clay tools bounce off it full swings, once I bent a matoch digging tool hitting my clay. Tip to dig first hard clay soak hard clay gradually with water 1 -2 days before hand but next problem will be clay sticking to tools so rinse in water periodically, Add more water leave over night if you want to go deeper. Digging fence post holes with auger half fill hole with water as lubricant before tools stick badly. Not all clay seams to break down with gypsum test a lump in water jar if it remains mostly intact and lumpy over 2 days forget gypsum. Gypsum responsive clay turns to mud layer on bottom of jar. Instead worms worked great for me but slow 1 year. I used thick 100mm deep organic + animal poop mulch with some soil blend on top of clay a little digging top layer clay first 100mm deep speeds things up if you can the energy for digging then add 20 to 100 worms per 4m2 or bucket worms from another area or buy some. Animal poop not always good for some trees and plants so just use plant organics in that case. Worms start off in organic mix and will slowly add castings and dig holes into clay breaking down the clay mixing in organic layer. Add sugar cane mulch to keep soil moist for worms Or simply go raised garden beds and forget the clay underneath with added soil of your preferance for instant garden with the plants and worms digging deeper over time. I hope this helps some one with super tough clay yards. Use the organic mixes other people here suggested as that is taking care of the real workers the worms.

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/62929#Comment_62929

Hello @Jewelleryrescue

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Thank you for joining the discussion.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience and know-how with the community. Rejuvenating hard clay soil is truly challenging and it takes a fair bit of time to bring it back into a usable state. Let me tag @jeanette01 to see if they've made any progress with the rock-hard clay soil. It has been quite some time and it would be interesting to know if they've managed to balance the soil.

Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge with the community.

Eric

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