How deep tp remove clay?

[BML]

I have a two metre square plot that used to be a sort of a rock garden and I have just cleared it for my wife who would like to use the plot for flowers. The only problem is that it is thick clay. How deep do I have to go down to dig the clay out and remove it replacing it with soil from another part of the garden that is not clay?

[applestar]

From all I've read, and from my own experience as well, it's better NOT to remove the clay, but to build a RAISED BED on top of it. Digging down in the clay simply creates a water retaining hole where most plants will get waterlogged, rootrot, drown, and die.

I prefer the no-till method, so what I do is fracture the clay soil with garden fork and simply SHEET MULCH a raised bed on top, but if you prefer, you can add lots of ORGANIC MATTER (fall leaves are excellent material to use right now if you live in the Northern hemisphere, COMPOST is another) and till or mix them up with the clay, then add good top soil/compost/sand mix on top of that. (DON'T mix sand with clay)

No-till method works: my raised vegetable garden beds that were sheet mulched directly on grass back in 2008 are now loose garden soil at least 6 inches down into the original grass-on-clay, 8~12 inches in areas where big plants like corn and sunflowers were grown and their deep roots dug down into the clay soil, then were cut off at ground level after the growing season and the roots were left to decay in the soil.

Try SEARCHING THE FORUM for both "raised bed" and "sheet mulch" for more information.

[BML]

Many thanks.