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Water does not readily penetrate clay
soils so some system of drainage will be needed.
Since it is so tightly compacted, clay soils is airless and plant roots
cannot thrive so it has to be lightened and crumbled. These are some of
the methods to improve clay soil.
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If you have a large area of deep clay you
either spread good loam over the whole to spade depth, or you can build
up bed good loam with paths between them which will also act as drains
to carry off surplus water. You might even consider covering the entire
area with ashes, metal screening or porous but permanent material,
before laying down the neds or paving the paths rough-dig the soil when
it is just damp, bring up the surface as much as possible and in a
handful each of complete plant food wheat per square meter. The fibrous
root the wheat will separate the soil into crun. When the crop is about
25 cm high, chop hoe into the soil.
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Sawdust is a wonderful crumbler for heavy
soils. You can compensate for the fact that it depletes soil nitrogen
by sprinkling some complete food with it. Before applying, break up the
soil to at least finger depth. Give another application 6 weeks later
and your soil will soon be ready for planting.
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You can improve clay soil and bring it to
the planting stage without delay by using the 'straw gardening'
technique.
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Put down a base mat of compressed layers
of lucerne hay to a depth of 5-7 cm over the area you with to plant.
Spread a 10.12 cm layer of wheat or oaten straw and a scattered handful
of complete fertilizer over it.
Mark the planting spaces and make a nest like depression at each one.
Place a generous handful of well-rotted compost in each and water well.
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You can then plant tomato or other
seedlings or the seeds of beans or zucchini. Daily watering will be
needed during hot weather. If heat is intense you may even need to
water more often. I find that potatoes are one of the easiest crops to
raise by this method as they are able to survive any drying of the soil
long enough to get their roots down and establish themselves.
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'Straw gardening' builds up a wonderful
surface mulch which earthworms will carry down to give an added depth
of good soil.
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Another method of improve clay soil is
always keep a mulch of organic matter over a clay soil. It is needed to
protect it against the unnecessary agitation of heavy rain or careless
watering, to supply organic substances which prevent the fusing of the
clay particles to create the desirable crumb-like structure and to
increase the teeming millions of useful bacteria which help to keep
soil healthy. Do not lay grass turfs directly on to a clay soil. First
put in drainage and then a 10 cm layer of sand or crumbly loam.
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