Five steps to improving clay soils: Make raised beds to assist drainage and to reduce trampling of the soil Consider adopting a ‘no-dig’ regime, especially in raised beds, as these suit clay soils well Some, but not all, clay soils respond to extra calcium, which causes the soil particles to flocculate (clump together). It's a bad idea! Add 2-3 inches of finished compost to your beds and incorporate with a garden fork or shovel. Do you know a novice gardener who is excited about “digging in” to their exciting new garden? At the end of the fall harvest season, you’re tired. That is, about 50% of the space between soil particles is filled with air, and the other 50% is filled with water. If … However, … Unfortunately, this also means that it does not hold nutrients well. Adding too much sawdust, bark, or other high-carbon organic matter to soil can create a deficiency in nitrogen. If you are having trouble deciding between pots and raised beds, my article can help you to make the decision. Making compost can take months, depending on how much help the pile has from bacteria and worms. Introducing it to your soil can improve the oxygen content of your soil and allow faster drainage. They also break down organic matter into a form that plants can use as nutrition. They are both good at absorbing water, meaning that they help to prevent soil from becoming too moist, while releasing water in times of drought (that is, when you forget to water!). Without well-drained soil, your garden will stay wet for too long after watering or rain. Identify where water collects. Soil that drains too fast (such as sandy soil) will lead to dry soil. Another way to improve soil drainage is to build up the soil where you are having the drainage issue or create a berm to redirect the water flow. On the other hand, poorly-drained soil (such as heavy clay soil) will lead to wet soil. Otherwise, the water will just sit inside the pipe, and it may even flow back into your garden! As mentioned earlier, too much water in soil leaves no space for oxygen, which will hurt plants. If you know what type of soil you have, you can take a guess as to how well it drains. You can also make soil drain better with hilling, containers, or raised beds. Soil with a high organic-matter content allows excess water to drain through, while absorbing needed moisture. However, instead of filling it with sand, you fill it with soil (hopefyll well-drained soil!) Hi, I'm Jon. To improve the drainage of your soil, you’ll need to dig in lots of organic matter. Sandy soil drains well and does not hold water for a long time. There is a simple test you can use to tell if your soil drains well. For more tips from our Horticulturist co-author, like how to create a rain garden, read on! For more information, check out my article on over watering your plants. The idea is to move excess water away from your garden by directing it with drains, pipes, and other channels, either above or below ground. Ideally, your lawn should drop off a couple of inches (5 cm) every ten feet (3 m) from your house. These crops, such as vetch or clover, are not grown to maturity, Drainage. Also take into consideration how light or heavy the rainfall is, which may affect how large the affected area is. To fix poor soil drainage, first measure the grade of your lawn to see if you need to regrade parts of it with a shovel and rake. Either buy pots with holes in them, or drill holes in the bottom (this is easy for plastic pots, but clay pots may break when drilled). What should I do? Aerating your lawn will also attract more worm activity. Also, be courteous to your neighbors. In the U.S., call 811 to make sure underground utilities aren't in the way. Other Amendment Materials Which Can Be Used to Improve Drainage in Pots. 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