Help with clay soil

[kylie77]

I planted out a couple of my tomato plants yesterday. From reading on here I planted them quite deep in the ground. In doing this I realized that my soil is terrible. The first 7-8 inches is not bad since we've added a bunch of good stuff this year, but under that is solid clay. What I did was dug a huge hole in the clay about the size of a large bucket. It was about a foot deeper than where the plant would be planted. I then filled it with 'good soil' mixed with bone meal, coffee grouds, egg shells, compost ect... then planted the plant on top and filled the rest the same way. I have no idea how I would fix the clay that deep without digging everything out. Was this a good thing to do? Do you think the plants have a chance? I realize the roots will extend past the hole that I filled and I have no idea what will happen once they reach the clay. I haven't planted much there yet, but... I did have stuff grow in that spot last year very well. I had 3 tomato plants in a spot next to this garden last year that took off and gave us a ton of tomatoes. Maybe that garden is better though I'm not sure yet. Do you think there's hope for my plants? Should I not plant the rest in the same area? Any suggestions for how I can fix this deep clay for next year?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Haesuse]

the easiest route to fix it next year would be to garden in a raised bed. frame your area in somehow (railroad ties, 2x8s, w/e), and extend the good soil a couple of feet above your own soil, after extensivelly tilling it. this would give you several more feet of good soil depth.

[kylie77]

Thanks for the reply. I'll consider doing this for next year. It's too late for this year though . Do you think my plants have a chance this year? I would imagine that I will need to water much less in these conditions? Last year I watered daily in the heat. It gets VERY hot here and not much rain in the summer.

[cynthia_h]

I think your plants will do fine, esp. with the special preparation you took care with.

My first gardening in the western continent (Berkeley, California) was at a house with the classic California adobe clay "yard." Great for "planting" a house; not so great for planting veggies, roses, or anything much except English ivy and Bermuda grass. Every square inch of ground in which we wanted to plant *anything* desireable had to be improved.

I hadn't heard of John Jeavons' double-digging approach then, but I pretty much duplicated it by sheer accident and dumb luck. I made compost and then, since I didn't have much of it, I strewed it over a small area and forked it in so that some would get further down than the rest of it. The next year, a little more. Etc.

The plants (green beans and lettuce, I think? early '80s...) did just fine! I tried tomatoes two or three years into the process. They did very well, too. I made a few gallons of spaghetti/pasta sauce that year...

I'm pretty sure your tomato plants will reward your extra work quite well this season.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Duh_Vinci]

I hear you on that clay soil, same conditions on my property too. So I opted for the raised beds, all plants seem to be doing fine. But for the sake of experiment, I planted 4 tomatoes in the ground, using the same approach as you have (deep holes, got rid of the clay, used those 6"-7" of native top soil with compost, vermiculite, peat moss, sand and bone meal). These in-ground guys seem to be doing also fine. will see in few weeks

Best of luck with your gardening, considering how much work you have put into - I think your tomatoes would do fine!

Regards,
D

[kylie77]

Thanks so much, that's just what I wanted to hear! lol I've grown these guys from seeds, and nurtured them for a good while now, and would just hate to watch them struggle! I would guess I'll need to be careful not to water them too much so they don't end up sitting in water? It gets very hot here so things do dry out quickly in the summer. Hopfully that'll help, but I don't know what it'll be like deep down in that clay.

Thanks again for your replies and for sharing your experiences. I was guessing at what to do, so glad I didn't get it completely wrong!

[atascosa_tx]

I too have dark clay and it's notorious for getting hard and clumpy....trying to plant deeply is a chore...BUT..adding powdered gypsum and compost does break it down..takes about 2 seasons. The gypsum adds calcium and the compost adds nutrients. If you are patient it pays off.
I plant my tomatoes in plowed raised rows about 12 inches tall. I put out weed stop on top of the rows and plant my babies.

That dark clay is a curse, but also a blessing..it retains moisture below 8 inches deep (better than sandy soils) provided that it has a good layer of mulch....I use a thick layer of straw...6 inches thick.

I water the toms with seeper hoses once a week for 1 hour.
According to the weather, I back off the watering regimen.

Happy Gardening

[kylie77]

Thanks for your reply. So you water once a week? How hot does it get there? Last year I knew nothing, but did have tomatoes that did well (not in the same garden). I watered them everyday on my neighbours advice. I'm sure now that I over watered my plants. Still though, once a week doesn't seem very often.

[jal_ut]

To hear some people talk about clay you would think it is the gardeners worst enemy, or even some kind of a curse.

The truth is most soils are a combination of sand, silt, clay, humus, organic matter, air, water, chemicals and a host of small living things.

Many fine crops are grown every year on soils heavy in clay.

Clay soils can be improved by the addition of sand and compost. Mulch also helps greatly.

A soil test may help you underestand what you are working with.

If you want to plant your tomatoes deeply, just dig a long trench and lay the stem of the plant in the trench. Now the stem will be up close to the surface where the temperature is warmer and the roots will develop quicker.

Most of the soil fertility and root activity is in the top 8 inches of the soil anyway. I would not worry much about the clay deeper down.

For what its worth, I don't like the concept of raised beds. I would rather just plant in the good soil that was on my lot. Yes, it is heavy in clay too, but grows some really nice crops.

Have a great garden!

[N2H2o]

I would also suggest Gypsum, Mulch, Compost, and Sand. Work it in each year and it will only get better.

[freedhardwoods]

I agree with jal_ut. I also live in an area with heavy clay soil and have no problems raising good crops. You want to plant your vegetables not bury them. I have planted tomatoes like he suggested for years. There are not very many places that have topsoil deeper than yours. Several years ago I made a flower garden in the area where our basement clay subsoil was placed. I put 8"-10" of sawdust (a full dump truck load) on the entire area and tilled it in along with a very heavy application of urea fertilizer to help it decompose. I couldn't plant anything that year, but since then that soil is still the best garden spot I have.

[kylie77]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm feeling a lot better about my clay! In that same garden last year I had some plants that didn't do very well, but I've now realized I did everything wrong with them. So, it may not have been anything to do with the clay. I've also added a lot more good stuff this year.

I have pretty much all of my plants out now, so... fingers crossed!