Where do you get Grit Sand for ammending clay soil?

[valdo650]

Hi there,

I have taken the task of ammending a 20 x 3 feet section of my garden to improve the drainage of my clay soil. The rest of the garden is thriving as I have clay busters in Daylilies (Blooming very nicely - Definetly thrives in clay), Asters (They have one or two flowers and a few buds) and Peonies (They are growing, just not blooming).

I found what killed my sages. When I pulled them out, the rots were drowned in water. My clay and the soil the sages came with when the builders planted ended up creating a clay water bowl on the rots, effectively drowning them. All my sages were skeletons and their branches crack with the touch of your hand. It was sad that my builder didn't even try to notice that these sages were doomed from the start in my clay.

Anyway, I get a ton of peat, compost, and humus/manure from Home Depot, but I couldn't find any grit sand. Where can you get grit sand? Do I still need it after putting the other ammendments in?

I mixed in the peat, compost, and humus/manure today with the clay. I tilled and shoveled about 2-3 feet deep and to my surprise when I was done, I could actually walk on the soil (I used to sink before). The standing water was no more as well. I added a very thin layer of topsoil (about 1/2 - 1 inch) over the ammended soil.

I broke as much of the clay as I could and got rid of any rocks and overly large clay lumps I found. All in all the bed ended up being slightly rised about 3 inches when I was done, but I think it's going to be well worth it.

I plan on mass planting some smaller vareties of Hibuscus (Crown Jewel and Robert Fleming...both get around 3-4 feet with similar spread) when the soil is primed and I test the soil again. I'm going to do a Ph & moisture test before I plant anything to make sure I didn't over do it.

Also, should I add some earthworms? I think I can get a ton of them at a bait shop. I heard they are great for breaking down clay soil.