Clay?

[big rockpile]

We are in bad need of rain. Our Lawn is hard as concrete because the soil is heavy Clay.

I contacted our Extension Center. She said Compost.

Well great on a small area but this is acres.

Got any ideas?

big rockpile

 

[Susan BBPM]

We are in bad need of rain. Our Lawn is hard as concrete because the soil is heavy Clay.

I contacted our Extension Center. She said Compost.

Well great on a small area but this is acres.

Got any ideas?

big rockpile

Similar issue here in our usually wet West of Scotland climate!!

I've been watering mine - which isn't a viable solution if this keeps up as it's taking a huge amount of water at a time where we probably are heading towards hosepipe bans. If this is the norm for my area moving forewards I need long term solutions.

It's made more complicated by the fact that the drought tends to come right at the start of the growing season, so nothing has had a chance to put down deep roots and there are no big plants to provide ground cover and protection for the soil.

Regardless of the type of soil you have or the amount of compost you put down, when you're dealing with weeks without rain your plants are going to die.

We're letting more of the lawn go to wild flower meadow - longer grass protects the soil and reduces evaporation. But it's not enough to deal with the length of drought we've had past couple of years. Even the trees are losing their leaves.

Part of our garden is on a hill and I'm thinking of doing something with swales there. Still researching the principles.

The flat front garden bakes in the sun all day long - never any shade. We've converted a lot of it to beds and that copes a bit better but we're still needing to water every couple of days.

Self sown borage has been helpful in many places. It germinates very early in the season, has a deep tap root and it's leaves provide plenty of shade for the young plants. It self-seeds like crazy - we've had literally hundreds of seedlings germinate. I'm letting them grow until the annuals get bigger then I cut it down - leaving it as a mulch for the soil. I figure it could be helpful in the wild flower meadow areas of my lawn.

Comfry is great for shading the roots of trees. It grows big early in the season and really helps get you through early drought.

 

[big rockpile]

We're losing trees. I've lost a Peachtree which I replaced and couple Blueberry.

I know can't really do anything with the rain but the Clay makes it hard on the roots.

My Son makes fun of me with 5 gallon buckets with couple holes fill them every few days let the water slowly go in the ground.

People are having a hard time with hay. The state is letting them cut on state land.

We're supposed to have big fireworks show at Church in couple weeks but not real sure on it dry as it is.

big rockpile

 

[Susan BBPM]

I hadn't considered dried out clay being hard on roots, but it makes sense.

It's worth looking into. People have figured out how to create an oasis in a desert so there will be things you can do.

Although if climate is permenantly changing (a possibility to consider) the solution is to adapt your garden to include plants that thrive in your new climate. A sad thing to face up to!

I'm looking at in-situ composting and worm towers as ways to get and keep moisture in the soil.

How to Use Worm Towers in Your Garden — CONNIE AND LUNA

I’m rounding off my compost series with one of my favourite composting options - the worm tower! The worm tower is a fabulous built-in option for those who have raised garden beds. It’s basically a 40-50cm length of wide piping with holes in it that you bury into the ground. You add your compostin

www.connieandluna.com

 

[Meadowlark]

Asked and answered:

What can I amend the soil to lose it up?

big rockpile

big rockpile

Compost, compost, compost...animal manure, plant, it all helps.

I contacted our Extension Center. She said Compost.

Well great on a small area but this is acres.

Got any ideas?

big rockpile

No matter how many times you ask the question, the answer from an experienced gardener should always be the same...compost, compost, compost.

On three and a half acres, you can generate tons and tons of compost. Your garden right now could be growing hot weather plants that are perfect for composting in situ and/or soil building like I mentioned previously...cow peas, beans, soybeans, etc. all will build soil.

If you look around at some neighboring farms, I'm sure you will see fields planted in soybeans. Those farmers know very well what they need to do to maintain great soil.

Your extension agent is 100% correct...compost, compost, compost.

 

[big rockpile]

Don't know body around here plants Grain. Actually nobody worries about their Lawn other fertilizing and watering and most don't do this.

Guy is trying to put a Septic Tank in for a neighbor. Has torn up more equipment than he ever has.

My Son bought a Gas Auger to put Post in but it won't work. He says the ground is too hard.

Been putting Peat Moss on my Garden but found that is a no no.

big rockpile

 

[pepper]

Don't know body around here plants Grain. Actually nobody worries about their Lawn other fertilizing and watering and most don't do this.

Guy is trying to put a Septic Tank in for a neighbor. Has torn up more equipment than he ever has.

My Son bought a Gas Auger to put Post in but it won't work. He says the ground is too hard.

Been putting Peat Moss on my Garden but found that is a no no.

big rockpile

I wouldn't add peat moss, it won't help at all and could even make it worse. I agree with Meadowlark that there is no shortcuts, it's organic compost or nothing.

 

[Meadowlark]

Don't know body around here plants Grain. ...

big rockpile

That simply is not true. I often make the drive from Springfield to St. Louis passing right by Lebanon and the fields are absolutely brimming with soybeans. Farmers routinely use soybeans as a rotation crop alternating with corn but when used as a soil building crop, i.e. not harvested but turned back into the soil, is when it is most valuable to us gardeners. Tons of organic matter there.

I like peas better than soybeans as soil builders, but it really doesn't make a tinker's dam difference in terms of soil building.

 

[DirtMechanic]

We are in bad need of rain. Our Lawn is hard as concrete because the soil is heavy Clay.

I contacted our Extension Center. She said Compost.

Well great on a small area but this is acres.

Got any ideas?

big rockpile

Yes pine bark mulch. 5 bucks and I can explain.

 

[big rockpile]

Yes pine bark mulch. 5 bucks and I can explain.

$5 For how many yards.

Thinking about putting some Leaves stuff on my Garden and fill my Compost Bins once they are finished.

Thinking of buying a Catcher for my mower. Looked at a Lawn Sweep but it is too wide.

My Son said use his Push Mower with Catcher but I believe I would be emptying it all the time.

big rockpile


big rockpile

 

[Meadowlark]

$5 For how many yards.

$5 will buy 10 pounds of cow peas most places around here and I assume around Lebanon. Do you know how much compost 10 pounds of pea seed will generate?

I give up, LOL.

 

[DirtMechanic]

$5 For how many yards.

Thinking about putting some Leaves stuff on my Garden and fill my Compost Bins once they are finished.

Thinking of buying a Catcher for my mower. Looked at a Lawn Sweep but it is too wide.

My Son said use his Push Mower with Catcher but I believe I would be emptying it all the time.

big rockpile


big rockpile

5 per yarn. that may be a different kinda pile. I use a sweeper in the fall. I think mulching is great but is also great for weeds that propagate by getting cut into bits like voilets and speedwell.

 

[Meadowlark]

One more try...

I mowed the row below (75 ft row of peas) this morning. It was planted with less than 1/2 pound of pea seed earlier this spring.

How much compost do you think is in there? I'm going to guess its somewhere between 100 to 200 pounds.

So, let's say 100 pounds to be conservative. With a pound of seed planted that would be 200 pounds of compost right? With 10 pounds of seed that's 2000 pounds of compost.

Now, that row (as well as the 10 pounds if planted) will reseed itself at least two more times this growing season. That makes 6000 pounds total of compost from a $5 investment. Can you find ANYWHERE ANYTHING that beats that?

Now, tell me pine bark can come anywhere close to that. Tell me how much nitrogen pine bark adds to the soil as it decomposes? Let me give you a hint...NONE...it actually takes nitrogen from the soil as it decomposes.

Weeds? You won't find hardly any weeds in that row of peas, nor will you find them when it reseeds. How much Nitrogen does the peas add...45 pounds of N2 per acre...and do those three times for about 150 pounds per acre.

I rest my case. Which $5 investment does the most for your soil?

 

[big rockpile]

This is why no to Peat Moss no Nitrogen.

Not really wanting to destroy what is left of my yard but may not have a choice.

big rockpile

 

[Susan BBPM]

One more try...

I mowed the row below (75 ft row of peas) this morning. It was planted with less than 1/2 pound of pea seed earlier this spring.

How much compost do you think is in there? I'm going to guess its somewhere between 100 to 200 pounds.

So, let's say 100 pounds to be conservative. With a pound of seed planted that would be 200 pounds of compost right? With 10 pounds of seed that's 2000 pounds of compost.

Now, that row (as well as the 10 pounds if planted) will reseed itself at least two more times this growing season. That makes 6000 pounds total of compost from a $5 investment. Can you find ANYWHERE ANYTHING that beats that?

Now, tell me pine bark can come anywhere close to that. Tell me how much nitrogen pine bark adds to the soil as it decomposes? Let me give you a hint...NONE...it actually takes nitrogen from the soil as it decomposes.

Weeds? You won't find hardly any weeds in that row of peas, nor will you find them when it reseeds. How much Nitrogen does the peas add...45 pounds of N2 per acre...and do those three times for about 150 pounds per acre.

I rest my case. Which $5 investment does the most for your soil?


View attachment 97369

I think the problem is, he's talking about his lawn.

I have quite big lawns and have always used the grass clippings to create compost for the flower/veg beds or used it for mulching the flower/veg beds. This is all well and good, but ultimtely each time you cut the grass and remove the cuttings elsewhere you're depleting nutrients in your soil where the lawn is.

If you leave the grass clippings on the lawn you'll retain minerals etc in the soil, but it doesn't actually do much to make your clay soil more drought tollerant.

So, if you have a lawn and want to maintain (or improve) the soil under that lawn - AND if you have veg and flower beds that you need compost for - then you need to bring something in.

Adding things like clover and wild flower to lawns will help. I'm thinking of things like comfrey borders around lawns, or letting borage self-seed. If this is all 'chop and dropped' back into the lawn it will help. But if your lawn is low in minerals etc you need to bring something in. Not least because you've now lost a big source of material previously used to create compost for flower and veg beds.
We have beaches nearby and can collect seaweed. That, coupled with cut down comfrey and borage can be scattered over the lawn. I then plan to go over it with the lawn mower (without a collection bag) to shred it into tiny bits and spread it all over the lawn. You could also do likewise by collecting fallen leaves from neighbours or in the street. In time this has to help. I also have access to manure, but wouldn't have space to store a huge amount to rot down. So thinking about how I might get a bit of manure spread on the lawns.