Many parts of the country have problems with clay soil.
There are several variations of clay-based soils, but red clay soil is probably the most common.
Red clay is common throughout Oklahoma, throughout the south and the mid-west.
South Texas and Louisiana are well known for their thick, gumbo clay.
One of the biggest complaints is how difficult it is for plants to become established.
Once they do, however, they often do well.
Benefits and Problems with clay soil Clay soil in itself is not bad, but it can easily develop serious problems.
Unfortunately, the problems usually outweigh the benefits.
Below are a list of the common pros and cons to clay-based soils.
When planting grass, organic matter is incorporated over the entire lawn.
However, it is different when planting shrubs and trees and there lies the problem.
The Old Ways Are Not Always Best We have been told for many years the proper way to plant trees and shrubs.
"Dig a large hole and back-fill it with a mixture of up to 50 percent organic matter and 50% surrounding dirt or commercial organic topsoil".
Three Problems with Using Organic Back-fills in Clay Soils Problem One: Native clay soils are often radically different from the organic fill mixture surrounding the plants.
The roots may thrive at first, but may have difficulty spreading into the surrounding heavy clay soil.
As a result, the roots remain in the organic mixture.
When this happens, the roots often become girdled similar to those grown in containers.
Problem Two: If the clay soil has had drainage problems then your new plants are likely to drown.
When it rains, the hole collects water and may take days to dry out.
The organic matter will absorb as much moisture as it can, which extends the wet period, but the excess water will have no place to go.
Ultimately, it has the same effect as flooding does in other areas.
Problem Three: On the other hand, if the soil drains well, it may actually draw the moisture away and the plants dry out to quickly.
If the roots eventually become established in the surrounding soil, everything will be fine.
If not, you will be constantly fighting drought conditions.
What is the Solution In difficult soils, it is best to use the soil dug from the hole as the back fill.
It will have the same properties as the surrounding soil and offer the best chance of rooting outside the hole.
Remember to use plants that do well for your area and conditions.
How to Improve Clay Soil in Planting Holes You can still use natural soil amendments to help amend clay soil in the back-fill, but choices are more limited.
One excellent product is called Turface.
It was developed by the professional sports turf industry to aerate clay soil in the infield, absorb excess moisture after heavy rains and loosen the clay.
It has done so well that Turface is now used by professional growers, nursery operations, landscapers and even as a soil for aquatic plants.
Bonsai tree growers are in love with it because of its ability to absorb large amounts of moisture and release it slowly.
It is also available for home use.
Other benefits of Turface are its high CEC.
It will not compact and has a neutral pH so it will not add to any soil problem.
It will absorb it weight in water and time release the moisture back into the soil.
It does not become slippery when wet.
How to Use Turface Turface comes in dry, granular form.
Mix plenty of Turface with the back-fill for best results.
It is not like other additives that need to be reapplied regularly, but rather, it becomes a permanent feature of the soil.
This will give your plants a great shot at survival.
You will still be able to add fertilizer or other necessary additives as usual.
Try this method if you are having trouble keeping plants alive in your clay-based soil.
You may be surprised at how well it works.
If you have difficulty finding Turface, contact us at Lawn Care Academy and we will be glad to help.
For more information, click on the link below to Lawn Care Academy.
There are several variations of clay-based soils, but red clay soil is probably the most common.
Red clay is common throughout Oklahoma, throughout the south and the mid-west.
South Texas and Louisiana are well known for their thick, gumbo clay.
One of the biggest complaints is how difficult it is for plants to become established.
Once they do, however, they often do well.
Benefits and Problems with clay soil Clay soil in itself is not bad, but it can easily develop serious problems.
Unfortunately, the problems usually outweigh the benefits.
Below are a list of the common pros and cons to clay-based soils.
- Clay has a high CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) meaning it has high fertility potential.
- Clay has excellent water hold ability.
- On the down side, clay compacts easily, which restricts air and moisture to the roots.
- Clay soil is very dense and the most difficult for roots to penetrate.
- Clay has frequent drainage problems, which can encourage root diseases.
- In summer, clay can become rock hard.
When planting grass, organic matter is incorporated over the entire lawn.
However, it is different when planting shrubs and trees and there lies the problem.
The Old Ways Are Not Always Best We have been told for many years the proper way to plant trees and shrubs.
"Dig a large hole and back-fill it with a mixture of up to 50 percent organic matter and 50% surrounding dirt or commercial organic topsoil".
Three Problems with Using Organic Back-fills in Clay Soils Problem One: Native clay soils are often radically different from the organic fill mixture surrounding the plants.
The roots may thrive at first, but may have difficulty spreading into the surrounding heavy clay soil.
As a result, the roots remain in the organic mixture.
When this happens, the roots often become girdled similar to those grown in containers.
Problem Two: If the clay soil has had drainage problems then your new plants are likely to drown.
When it rains, the hole collects water and may take days to dry out.
The organic matter will absorb as much moisture as it can, which extends the wet period, but the excess water will have no place to go.
Ultimately, it has the same effect as flooding does in other areas.
Problem Three: On the other hand, if the soil drains well, it may actually draw the moisture away and the plants dry out to quickly.
If the roots eventually become established in the surrounding soil, everything will be fine.
If not, you will be constantly fighting drought conditions.
What is the Solution In difficult soils, it is best to use the soil dug from the hole as the back fill.
It will have the same properties as the surrounding soil and offer the best chance of rooting outside the hole.
Remember to use plants that do well for your area and conditions.
How to Improve Clay Soil in Planting Holes You can still use natural soil amendments to help amend clay soil in the back-fill, but choices are more limited.
One excellent product is called Turface.
It was developed by the professional sports turf industry to aerate clay soil in the infield, absorb excess moisture after heavy rains and loosen the clay.
It has done so well that Turface is now used by professional growers, nursery operations, landscapers and even as a soil for aquatic plants.
Bonsai tree growers are in love with it because of its ability to absorb large amounts of moisture and release it slowly.
It is also available for home use.
Other benefits of Turface are its high CEC.
It will not compact and has a neutral pH so it will not add to any soil problem.
It will absorb it weight in water and time release the moisture back into the soil.
It does not become slippery when wet.
How to Use Turface Turface comes in dry, granular form.
Mix plenty of Turface with the back-fill for best results.
It is not like other additives that need to be reapplied regularly, but rather, it becomes a permanent feature of the soil.
This will give your plants a great shot at survival.
You will still be able to add fertilizer or other necessary additives as usual.
Try this method if you are having trouble keeping plants alive in your clay-based soil.
You may be surprised at how well it works.
If you have difficulty finding Turface, contact us at Lawn Care Academy and we will be glad to help.
For more information, click on the link below to Lawn Care Academy.