The fall months are a good time to aerate your soil, as conditions tend to be drier. [2] X Research source If you attempt to work clay soil while it’s still wet, you’ll most likely just end up with a sticky, impenetrable mess on your hands (and shovel).
Avoid working your soil without adding amendments immediately afterwards. Doing so will only cause you to end up with a mass of oversized soil clumps that are still unsuitable for planting. [4] X Research source You can also use a push tiller to cover more ground in less time, if you have one. [5] X Research source
Make it a point to remove all rocks bigger than about 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) in diameter. Rather than just discarding the rocks you find, you might use them to build a small retaining wall, ring a pond, or line an outdoor walkway. [7] X Research source
Not only will compost introduce vital nutrients to the soil to feed your plants, the decaying plant matter will also help break up the clay particulate surrounding them. [9] X Research source Consider starting your own compost heap or bin somewhere near your garden. That way, you’ll always have a ready supply on hand.
You can make your own biochar at home by slow-burning sticks, leaves, weeds, and other brush under a thin layer of soil, then collecting the remnants. [11] X Research source The ashes from your fireplace, fire pit, or wood burning stove can also the serve many of the same functions as biochar.
Purchase bags of manure at your local gardening center or plant nursery, or ask a friend who keeps animals if they would be willing to share a portion of their stock with you.
Soil conditioners are specially formulated to deliver micronutrients to poor-quality soil while creating tiny channels to encourage runoff.
You can also haul over healthy topsoil from another part of your yard or garden to cover patches of clay soil in prime growing areas. Another benefit of putting down new topsoil is that it will gradually filter into the clay, acting as its own amendment and improving the quality of the underlying soil over time.
Other cover crops include field peas, hairy vetch, and cereal grains like rye, barley, and millet. [16] X Research source
You can buy premade, ready-to-install beds at any major gardening center, or make your own out of scrap lumber, stones, plastic containers, or wooden crates. Raised beds can be used to cultivate all of the same sorts of plants you would grow in open soil. Due to their inherent size limitations, however, it’s best to reserve one or two species to a single bed.
