What did you do in your garden today?

[flowerbug]

Adding clay to sand pretty much turns it into concrete. Adding organic material is the only thing that helps.

the clay holds moisture and nutrients, the organic material is also good for the soil but without clay you will lose whatever it provides faster. a little clay will help, not a lot, just a few lbs... try it in a small area.

 

[R2elk]

the clay holds moisture and nutrients, the organic material is also good for the soil but without clay you will lose whatever it provides faster. a little clay will help, not a lot, just a few lbs... try it in a small area.

Do some research on the Internet. The information is out there that it is not good to add clay to sand. They are correct. That mixture makes it like cement when the clay swells.

 

[Hinotori]

Horse poop works really well. Lots of horse poop. It breaks down, though, and has to be renewed each year. Mom has sandy soil and that helped tons.

 

[CrealCritter]

Do some research on the Internet. The information is out there that it is not good to add clay to sand. They are correct. That mixture makes it like cement when the clay swells.

Can you do back to Eden method? Takes time (years) sounds like you doing some of it already by adding organic matter.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[R2elk]

Horse poop works really well. Lots of horse poop. It breaks down, though, and has to be renewed each year. Mom has sandy soil and that helped tons.

I did that for many years until the horse died.

 

[R2elk]

Can you do back to Eden method? Takes time (years) sounds like you doing some of it already by adding organic matter.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

Hugelkultur is working well for the neighbor. I have tree branches along with other organic material under the top layer. When I was getting feed in paper sacks, I used to bury them in the garden too. If I added them in the fall, they would be completely decayed by spring.

I add more organic material every year. Last year I dug a trench , filled it with peat moss and grew my potatoes there. Unfortunately, I was overrun with voles which pretty much wiped out all root crops.

I even tried some of the sonic pest repellers which had zero effect on the voles.

 

[Mini Horses]

@R2elk -- aren't you the one with awesome greenhouse of a backporch?

 

[flowerbug]

Do some research on the Internet. The information is out there that it is not good to add clay to sand. They are correct. That mixture makes it like cement when the clay swells.

you're ignoring what i said again. good luck, etc...

 

[R2elk]

@R2elk -- aren't you the one with awesome greenhouse of a backporch?

Yes, my greenhouse is on my deck.

 

[R2elk]

you're ignoring what i said again. good luck, etc...

https://www.patwelsh.com/soils/never-add-clay-to-sand-or-sand-to-clay/

"Adding sand to clay soil, in any amount, has been proven by the University of California Agricultural Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be about the worst thing anyone can do for their garden soil."