growth issues in clay soil - please advise!

About three or four years ago hubby and I planted three rose of sharon's in our backyard. We have since learned how compacted our clay soil really is. The trees are fine, but have barely grown at all. Is there anything I can do to help them? Should I try to dig them up and replant?

Our neighbor behind us has the same issue with her plum tree which is why we are wondering if it is the soil, the land used to be an old parking lot.

If the trees are growing, I'm not sure that I would want to dig them up. Moving them is stressful to them as well as you. Since they are growing but not thriving like you would like, perhaps you can consider increasing the amendments in the soil surrounded the trees. You don't want to heap it on too high, and suffocate the roots, but a steady diet of compost, leaf mulch, alfalfa or other additives will eventually break down the clay in your soil.

Someone else may have more experience with rose of sharon, and can give you more insight.

rose of sharon likes clay soil, if your lot was an old parking lot that would cause the compaction. nothing likes that. i'd plow the ground or at least till it.but you better plant grass or something or the weeds will germinate like crazy.

I saw on HGTV's "Gardening By The Yard" that you can use the bulb digger attachment for a drill and drill into the ground all around the tree and stuff the holes with good compost, making the holes about 8-10 inched apart. He said that would get the right stuff to the roots and also help break up that clay. I'm going to do it to my non-blooming crape myrtle and see if that helps. The clay on the Virginia penisula where I live looks like something I used in high school Art Class. Good Luck! Pam

Clay is the worst. Grrrrr....

Pam,

That sounds like a good idea.

What Pamspace is referring to is called 'vertical mulching', if anybody wants to look it up

Vertical Mulching - very good description of the process. Now I can sound like I know what I'm doing! Thanks, claypa

if it used to be a parking lot good luck getting the bulb auger for the drill to work. mine didn't do anything on regular clay.

If the bulb auger doesn't work, you can always use a bulb planter, and lots of elbow grease.

I found an old augur at a flea market and put it in my brace and bit. Its a hand tool but it is not all that hard to dig a good sized hole.

And if it turns out to be more pain than pleasure, you can always do raised beds, instead, and soften where you need to put trees by doing the lasagna-type gardening - takes some time, but the only other alternative that I know of is to get a back hoe in there and get some good size holes dug, then backfill your soil mixed or layered with compost after planting. Just be sure to scarify the sides of the holes well if you go that route.

I agree with Pagancat. (I almost always do.) Search for lasagna beds. There is lots of information on Dave's, especially in this forum. The best thing to do with clay soil is build new soil. And, the plus is you use up all your old paper, cardboard, leaves, and refrigerator cleanings while you are at it.

Into the bed, outta the landfill. Win ==> win.

Oh, Gloria - great minds, I guess.... >grin < ...