The high clay content in the soil significantly complicates the planting and cultivation of cultivated plants. The problems of heavy, dense earth can be solved in different ways. Growing grass cover on clay soil successfully prevents the ground from cracking in the heat. You can also plant moisture-loving plants, loosen and improve the soil structure.
Pros and cons of heavy soils
Clay soil is considered poorly structured and unsuitable for active farming. Main disadvantages:
- difficulty of cultivation. Dried soil becomes more hard, and wet clay soil sticks to the shovel;
- low air circulation due to dense structure;
- water stagnates on the surface of the soil during irrigation or in rainy weather. Stagnation of moisture provokes acidification of the soil;
- low thermal conductivity, so in early spring the beds warm up slightly, and the seeds take longer to germinate.
However, clay soil also has positive qualities. Advantages: the presence of a large number of mineral elements, the ability to retain moisture.
What grows well on it
Alumina is suitable for growing certain plant crops. If you add a moderate amount of additives and loosen the structure, you can expand the list of plants to be planted.
Ornamental and fruit trees
The following fruit trees grow well on clay soils: cherry, plum, apple, and quince. For their active growth, it is recommended to create certain conditions:
- 4-6 year old seedlings are planted in deep holes, the bottom of which is laid out with a drainage layer of pebbles and crushed stones;
- if a shallow hole is dug (up to 50 cm deep), it is made large (approximately 1.5 m in diameter for an apple tree and 1.2-1.3 m for a cherry and pear).
To fill the hole with a seedling, it is recommended to use a nutritious soil mixture consisting of garden soil, sand, tree bark, humus and peat.
Among the ornamental trees that are adapted to actively grow on alumina are willow, oak, Norway maple, gray alder, viburnum, and ornamental plum.
Berry bushes
Provided that organic matter is added to the soil, currants, raspberries, and blackberries can be planted on the site.To slightly change the structure of the soil and increase nutritional value, when digging up the site, organic additives are added at the rate of 15 kg per square meter.
It is recommended to constantly loosen heavy clay soils, creating aeration and oxygen access to the root system. When watering, it is necessary to observe the measure, since on alumina soils the water stagnates on the surface of the bed. To prevent the soil from drying out and forming a dense crust, the ground around the bushes is covered with a layer of mulch.
Flower crops
To simplify the care of flower beds or plantings of flower crops, you need to plant appropriate moisture-loving plants. Honeysuckle, perennial geranium, irises, and hydrangeas take root well on alumina soils. The area will be decorated with lush blooms of peonies, petunias, violets,
Basic recommendations when planting flowers: prevent acidification of the soil and stagnation of water, mulching the space between plants.
How to Improve Clay Soil
Almost any measures to improve the soil are aimed at loosening the dense structure. This can be achieved in several ways:
- compost added under the top layer of the bed will make the alumina loose and prevent water from stagnating;
- A common option is to use river sand. The advantage of this method is that the structure of the earth changes immediately. To simplify the procedure, sand is scattered over the garden bed during autumn digging. Adding sand over 4-5 years will create fertile, loose soil on the site;
- earthworms naturally loosen the soil. Therefore, “breeding” worms is a non-standard and promising option.
In order for moisture-loving plant crops to actively develop on the site, minimal soil improvements are sufficient.
Changing clay soil with sawdust
To correct the soil structure, sawdust is an ideal alternative to sand. Only old sawdust is used as a leavening agent, since fresh material can release substances harmful to the root system of plants. When using fresh sawdust, it is necessary to pre-treat them with a urea solution.
It is advisable to introduce woody material while digging the soil. The recommended norm is a bucket per square meter of area. It is advisable to dig up a layer of earth 13-15 cm thick.
The use of green manure to increase fertility
A non-standard method is to sow green manure plants on the site, which will loosen the soil structure and serve as organic fertilizer when digging up the site.
Various crops are planted:
- After harvesting, rye is sown. You can dig up sprouted greens in autumn or spring;
- Mustard is sown in spring. The seedlings that have grown to a height of 7-10 cm are mowed down. The beds with the remains of greenery are dug up to a depth of 12-15 cm;
- Alfalfa deeply loosens the soil, perfectly fights weeds, repels nematodes, and promotes the reproduction of earthworms. The mowed and buried green mass becomes valuable humus.
Green manure not only loosens heavy clay soils. Rye inhibits the germination of weed seeds, radish inhibits the proliferation of nematodes, and mustard prevents the appearance and spread of scab.
Making clay soil fertile will require some effort.You can give soil fertile qualities in different ways. If the structure can be changed in 3-4 years, then organic and mineral fertilizers will have to be applied regularly.
