new gardener

Hi Helen..

You'll get there ... a little at a time ..
Just choose your plants carefully to suit your soil and whether the plants prefer sun or shade.

Sunnier weather due this weekend :o)

You will get there it all takes time as with most things, just enjoy yourself.

Helen I grow on the heaviest clay you can imagine but things do grow, don't loose heart you will get there :o))

Clay soil's not such a bad thing, its got more nutrients than sandy soil and doesn't dry out so readily. Add lots of humus rich materials as often as possible (that means things like soil conditioning compost from the garden centre, or garden compost, or leaf mould, composted animal manures, that kind of thing). If its really heavy, such that you could make pots with it, add horticultural grit as well.

I 'mould' holes on my slope Bamboo, fill them with compost then plant in them. Afterwards I push clay around the top to hold them in place, radical but it works.....I loved Plasticine when I was little! Lol

Ooh, as bad as that aye, Annella, that you can mould holes... Do the plants continue to do well after 4 or 5 years though?

11 years now and they are all thriving. It would have been the side of the hill but was carved away to make the bottom garden larger exposing all the blue and white clay on the slope. Apparently the builders took away any decent top soil.

Can't be just subsoil though or the plants wouldn't continue to thrive once their roots met it.

You're not alone Helen, I've only started this year too and am also on heavy clay. You'll find this site and everyone on it really helpful, as I have, I often ask stupid questions lol :)

Good luck ! I'm sure your garden will look a picture :o)

Tackle a bit at a time and the task won`t seem so daunting, it does get better as you work the soil, if you do it that way you'll then have something to look at and admire which will spur you on...