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Waterville, Ohio

Well folks,
I'm lost, I was recently allowed 1500ft sq at my place of employment for this season.
Honestly, I don't know where to start.. The base is heavy compacted brown clay and terrible drainage where there is typically standing water.
On the positive, I'm allowed a free pass to all and any resources including topsoil, compost, sand, lime, in stock fert/amendments, and equipment.
Should I even try ripping and amending the current soil or just build atop the base?

4/9/2015 10:52:17 PM

Central NY

Scoop it out ..(8"?..)..start fresh..

4/9/2015 11:31:30 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

It sounds like you might want to prep for next year instead of for this year.

4/10/2015 6:49:45 AM

Germany

In addition to access to all kinds of resources of soil components, do you have access to a good bunch of heavy machinery (tractor with a subsoiler, a plow and a roto-tiller) and do you have enough time available? If that´s the case, then I would try the following:

- 2 runs with the subsoiler (cross-wise)
- addition of 2" of sand and 2" of compost
- roto-till
- plow the patch 1 ft deep
- addition of 2" of sand, 2" of compost and some gypsum
- roto-till
- addition of 4" good topsoil, 1" compost, 1" sand
- roto-till

If your soil pH is too high (above 7.4 maybe) you could add some peat or sulfur before the last run with the roto-tiller. If your soil pH is rather acidic (below 6) you should definitely add some lime (before the 2nd and before the 3rd rund with the tiller).

- Get a soil sample tested for K,Mg,Ca,P,S,N,Fe,Mn,Cu,Zn,B
- Try to adjust some of the mineral levels with appropriate water soluble fertilizers (that can be done later, not needed right now during patch prep).

4/10/2015 7:08:27 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

If you just dig out an area in compacted clay, you could just be creating a soup bowl for your fresh soil that won't drain out. I would first dig a test hole to see how deep you need to go to get through the impermeable layer to get drainage, if that is even possible. If you can break it up to get to subsoil that will drain, do that. Otherwise build a raised bed. Be sure to call your state's One Call system before you do any digging. You wouldn't want to hit a buried gas, phone, electric, water or sewer line.

4/10/2015 8:58:06 AM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

Sub soil, then build a raised bed on top of the sub soiled clay. After that do everything you can to avoid compaction.

4/10/2015 12:38:04 PM

Joliet, IL

What Kevin said.....and you can crown or slope your subsoil clay in a manner that heavy rains slope away from you planting spots....basically do what you can from planting on top of underground bathtubs or depression...clay repel and sheds water if pitched or holds water if a like a bowl.

4/10/2015 8:16:41 PM

Joliet, IL

Nice english....lol....you get the point...if you can pitch your fractured clay base on angles and slopes so water wont collect and pool under the raised bed the better chances to avoid disease.

4/10/2015 8:20:36 PM

Waterville, Ohio

Thank you all,
I'll try to probe the soil past the surface to see what lies underneath. It looks like subsoiling, sloping and raising the area is going to be the winner.
From what I've heard the entire area was once a wooded lot. So we'll see what the outcome is.

4/11/2015 12:06:01 PM

Upa Creek, MO

You might be surprised. Many say virgin soil can be the best year you'll get off it

4/11/2015 3:57:46 PM