Has anyone used this liquid soil aerator and does it work? We have very rocky clay soil and need as much help as get.
Liquid Soil Aerator and Clay Loosener
I got some granular clay loosener this year, but I can't say yet if it works. i've just been using it one hole at a time as I'm putting in new plants.
camankin - You are going to have to beg borrow and steal all the humus and compost you can to permanently amend that clay soil. If you were closer, we could send you a truckfull of leaves - we have plenty. I used to live in So. CA where the soil was adobe clay - I feel your pain. As to the rocks - they make great walls.
I don't have clay soil and haven't used it, but I have seen posts on other forums that state that it works. You could put some of it on to get things started and then add mulch and compost on top of it and let the worms do the rest of the work.
Camankin - I too am gardening on clay - the upside is that clay is enormously rich in nutrients, the down side is that I agree with Yankee cat - go for more and more compostable stuff, and now is the time to get it and spread it. If you take a look around it is surprising how much free material you can get. This is a hot topic over at PNW, and some of the finds and transport methods are pretty imaginative! particularly with all of the leaf collecting going on. Really worth stopping in.
While you are over there, some of the PNW gardeners also talk about using a lasagna method of cardboard covered by leaves and compostable material for working their heavy clay. Brier and some of the others swear by it, and it does sound quite interesting. I am still of the double digging tradition, brillant results but incredibly hard work, and I have decided to give this other approach a try. I am about to tackle a large area in our garden which is much to large to double dig (it is about 1/4 acre), and am currently collecting up some cardboard boxes to lay out an area in the far corner where I want to plant up some shrubbery and summer/autumn bulbs in the spring. I am going to layer that with a couple old bales of straw, leaves, and some rotted manure, and then leave it to sit out the winter. It will be interesting to see what happens.
Hope that is of help. Good digging.
I have not heard about this liquid form of aeratingI soil before so I can't give any advice except tell what I did. Have always said I should have become a potter instead of a gardener, the soil I have consist of rocks and clay, no drainage whatsoever, the shovel would not go down any further then one inch but between that and a claw I have removed many a wheelbarrows of stones,and mixing that miserable clay all this with humus and peatmoss. After three year working at it I have finally been able to get my shovel 12" into the ground A couple of weeks ago I did this prozess all over again and even found some worms, now that made me smile!
Maria - this may be stating the obvious, but have you thought of using a fork instead of a shovel? I find a shovel is much harder to wiggle in amongst the stones because you have to accomodate a full blade width, and a much harder lift. With a fork you can stick it in and then work it down and around by rocking it side to side, and forward and back. The lift helps break up the clay. Works much better for me.
Congratulations Maria.
Laurie 1- In Northwest Arkansas when a tracator and backhole can't dig in the dirt because of the rocks, a shovel or fork is just for show! A pick and a 20lb. long bar is the only way to go.
EXCELLENT!! I'm up for that!
One of the guys we use for fencing made me a couple of the most exhausting, and effective, tools I own. A two pronged fork welded to a scaffolding pole, and a toughened spade (shovel to you) also on a scaffolding pole. The sheer weight of the poles sinks the tools a full spit deep and then I just hang onto the end until either the rock or I give out. so far, I'm winning. But I have to admit, a couple hours of lifting those tools straight up really earns me a good long soak in the tub.
Sound great! Send a picture.
Okay - my new years resolution is to figure out how to post a picture on the web. I really must crack this - I am sure it is easy, but as a non-sequential thinker it just absolutely eludes me. Give me a good spade/fork anyday. I will work this out. Just not sure how soon.