Working with Clay and Sandy Soils

Soil is usually classified by its clay, sand and silt content.  A loam soil has the perfect balance of these three elements making it both free-draining and moisture retentive.  Most gardeners can only dream about such soil.  The two most common problem soils that gardeners face are sandy soil and clay soil.

To identify your soil, rub a small amount of moist soil between your fingers.  Clay soil feels sticky.  It will hold together and can easily be rolled into a ball.  Sandy soil feels gritty and will not stick together to form a ball.

Clay soils are heavy and slow draining.  In winter they are often wet and sticky; in summer they can bake dry and become rock hard.  The good thing about clay soil is that it is often very fertile.  Sandy soils are light and free draining.  They dry out very quickly and are usually low in nutrients.  However, they are easy to work with.

Improving clay soil

Clay soil is made up of very tiny particles that stick together easily.  The key to improving this sort of soil is to add material that will bind the particles together to form larger crumbs.  Organic matter is the easiest way to achieve this.  Gritty sand is another essential as this helps open up drainage channels in the soil.  J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver for Clay Soils is made from a blend of organic matter including recycled green garden waste, coir fibre, peat and sharp sand.

Autumn is the best time of year to dig clay soils as this allows the frost to break down large clods.  The soil should be left over winter and planted up in the spring.  Alternatively, the soil can be dug in spring and allowed to settle for at least a week before planting.  Do not dig the soil when it is wet as this may compact it and cause lasting damage to the structure.

Improving sandy soil

Sandy soil is made up of coarse particles and contains very little clay.  The key to improving this sort of soil is to add material that wil hold moisture and nutrients.  Organic matter is the easiest way to achieve this.  In very poor soils it is also beneficial to dig in some good quality loam.  J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Conditioner for Sandy Soils is made from a blend of sterilised loam and organic matter including recycled green garden waste, peat and composted bark.

The good thing about sandy soils is that they can be dug at almost any time of year except when the ground is frozen.  Sandy soils are quick to warm up so can be safely planted in the spring.  It is advisable to allow the area to settle for at least a week before planting.

Creating new borders and preparing vegetable plots

Dig over the bed to a depth of 15cm (6"), incorporating one or two bags of J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver per square metre.

Planting trees, shrubs and perennials

Dig a hole larger than the rootball of the plant.  Fork some J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver into the base of the hole plus a handful of J. Arthur Bower's Bonemeal to promote root growth.  Mix one spadeful of soil improver with every two spadefuls of soil.  Place plant in position, fill in with the soil mixture, firm well and water thoroughly.  Water once a week until the plant is established.

Preparing Seed Beds

Fork J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver into the top 5-7cm of soil using four spadefuls per square metre.  Leave to settle for a few days before sowing.  Clay soils are slow to warm up in the spring so it is worth placing a cloche over the soil a week before sowing to warm it up more quickly.  Although sandy soils are quick to warm up you can still use a cloche in the same way to get your crops off to a good start.  If you prefer, crops can be started in modules and planted out once the soil has warmed and they are big enough to tranplant.

Maintaining Clay Soil

Digging Extra Care Soil Improver into your clay soil will allow you to work it and plant it easily.  To maintain it in tip-top condition, we recommend applying a mulch of J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver for Clay Soils every autumn.  This will prevent compaction and will boost the health of your soil.  Just spread about 3cm of soil improver over moist soil in October or early November.

Maintaining Sandy Soil

To maintain your sandy soil in tip-top condition, we recommend applying a mulch of J. Arthur Bower's Extra Care Soil Improver for Sandy Soils every autumn.  This will prevent nutrients being leached out over the winter and will boost the vitality of your soil.  Just spread about 3cm of soil improver over moist soil in October or early November.

Choosing Plants

Improving your soil will help you grow a wide range of plants but some are particularly suited to certain soil types.  If you choose some of these they will be sure to grow well.