Clay
  is made of very fine dirt particles that stick together well when they are wet. This blocks the from plant roots and causes them to “starve” even though theis actually rich in nutrients. The dirt stays heavy and cold when it’s waterlogged and will rot the roots. Once it dries out the particles glue themselves tightly together and thebecomes hard and crusty.
- If your garden has a lot of in thethere are many ways to help it unlock its nutrients and make it healthier for your plants.
- Don’t till wet in the spring or it will become as hard as a rock! Let it dry out first.
- Once it’s dry it needs to be roughed up with a rake or hoe so that it doesn’t form a hard, crusty layer on the top.
- This will also help it to
 up and dry out faster.
- Mix at least 6 inches (15 cm) of composted or organic matter or 12 inches (30 cm) of leaves into . You could also add
 , straw, peat moss or compost.
This will createand pockets and release the soil’s nutrients to your plants’ roots.
- Don’t rake smooth.
- Put mulch on theto keep it from drying into a hard crust.
- This will also encourage worms to dig tunnels and leave their nutrient-rich manure behind.
- If you intend to plant tiny seeds use 1 of the tiny seed methods which will help them sprout through this type of .
- Ideally, autumn is the best time to condition . Fall frosts will help to break up large clumps of as will winter freezing and spring thawing.
- It will alsoup and dry up quicker in the spring.
soil
caring
|
