Another soil question

Some of you already know about the state of my 'builder compacted red clay soil'!! I read an article that stated that once the ground freezes the soil breaks up again. Does that mean it is no longer compacted and will remain broken up in the future??

Louisa: Here is a site that addresses freezing and compacted soil. Look toward the bottom of the page: http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/pubs/pdf/A3367.PDF They state that "several years" of freezing soil can alleviate compaction, but it certainly seems to me that intermittent and subsequent water saturation episodes would cause compaction once again in your clay.

The hard frosts will indeed break up clay.

An old solution for compacted soil is to dig over (or rotorvate) the soil and leave it in big chunks on the surface. It's important not to break it down into small chunks. The frost gets to a greater surface area on large chunks will break up more soil that way.

When the soil gets to saturation point this will compact the soil to a degree. All activities on soil (walking, driving, over cultivation, breathing etc) will all contribute to soil compaction, especially silty, clayey soils.

If you do cultivate the soil to allow the frost to get at it, an old farming trick for old pastures to turn into arable is to grow a crop of spuds or other root crops. Works a treat.

Will take a look at your link. Ta very much Wheezy!! I feel as you do that it will always be a problem!! :-(

Your welcome, Louisa. Baa, what you say makes sense... bigger chunks mean more surface area exposed. The whole concept rather belies the old rule not to till the wet soil because it will compact it... of course, maybe that doesn't apply when the soil is frozen.

Thanks Baa. lol, I think we must have been typing and posting at the same time!! I do remember something about leaving the soil in huge chunks. Unfortunately the area I'm talking about is in the front garden and I want to plant more trees. It would look unsightly for such a long time and I don't know if I can wait that long or grow potatoes. :-) However, we will rotovate the planting area, add some good stuff and hope for the best. Although I also read recently where indigenous trees performed better when they were planted in soil that had not been amended. The huge machine that drills for water ventured onto this piece of land and turned the soil into rock just about. What bothers me is that I can't dig up all the front lawn but surely the trees' growth will be stunted if their roots cannot penetrate the hard core. That's why I'm hoping the frosts do their work.

WZ

You still shouldn't cultivate wet soil as far as possible (one of the best ways to compact soil outside of driving heavy machinery over it). You leave the chunks on the surface for the water to get into the air pockets.



(For anyone wondering why frost breaks up soil, when the water gets into the air pockets and freezes it expands, causing the large lumps to crack and break up)

We've done it again Louisa! LOL

I doubt the frost will have much impact on the soil as it is now. How much rain do you get over winter?

Actually Baa, we are getting a fair bit of rain now and the drought is no more but can't quite remember how much we got last year - my first year at this house. However, we did have some snow and hope we get more of it this winter. Even though I don't like the stuff. Like to look at it is all!! :-)

Louisa~ Adding lime (calcium carbonate) is what's normally done first to improve red clay soil. You can spread it on the surface if it's too wet to till this year, and till next spring. Then adding organic materials is next to do. Good luck.

Louisa... Do you have grass you want to keep in this front yard? Makes a difference in what you might want to do.

I have previously used a top-dressing of greensand, in small amounts, over my "grass" but what i really want to do is grow a green manure to break up the clay and till it under in the spring, and plant real grass in the yard. (Not much area left to be grass, most is now beds.) Our constant debate is about how this would look over the winter, LOL!

Thank you Ivey. Sorry I haven't replied - having difficulty typing due to neck probs. I'm worried about top applications of anything to the ground because of the water well situated in the area. darius we do want to maintain some grass but like you it is almost a disappearing feature. We have prepared two really good sized beds actually in the lawn space and will dug up more if the grass doesn't break through. It's such a mess. Take a look.

Louisa, You are right to be concerned about your well. Fertilizer should be on your list of "don't go near the well" things too. Depending on the terrain, I'd stay 100 feet away at least with most chemicals, BUT your local health department would know the rule of thumb for your area.