Could you give me some advice on dealing with what I’ve been told is a heavy clay soil that can get waterlogged in winter? I’m new to gardening and it feels like an uphill battle! Shauna M, Co Dublin
Getting to know and understand the growing conditions in a new garden is always challenging. Every site is different and has its own particular quirks, from strangely windy spots or buried builder’s rubble to problems with soil compaction or drainage. It’s possible, for example, that your heavy clay soil is in fact a mixture of topsoil and subsoil unearthed by the builder during site excavation, a common occurrence. Or it may be the case that the soil’s ability to drain has been compromised by the use of heavy machinery during the building phase, something to which clay soils are particularly vulnerable. For the same reason it’s always best to avoid digging or even walking on clay soils during wet weather, which again makes it problematic when it comes to gardening.
To improve it, you’ll need to add plenty of organic matter in the shape of generous annual mulches of well-rotted manure and garden compost. Regularly sowing green manure (also known as living manure) will also help to aerate the ground and improve soil structure, as will the application of gypsum (your local garden centre should stock this).
The only problem is that all the above will take several years before it starts having an appreciable effect. So I’d also suggest creating some raised beds to a minimum depth of 25cm, using good-quality imported topsoil (suppliers include quickcrop.ie and landscapedepot.ie). While this is expensive and labour-intensive, the benefits are instant and considerable.
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Bear in mind the much-quoted gardening mantra “right plant, right place” and try to choose plants that are suitable for your garden’s growing conditions and microclimate. Your neighbours’ gardens should offer plenty of clues in this regard (you can use the app known as PictureThis to identify any plants you like the look of). I’d also recommend checking out the website of the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society (rhs.org.uk), which offers a detailed list of a wide variety of species suitable for clay soils. It includes many beautiful, garden-worthy plants, from philadelphus, viburnum and weigela to different kinds of perennial geranium, phlox and primula. Armed with this information, your uphill battle will soon become much easier.
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