Soil improvement / poor drainage

Conology

Hi
We have a site with very poor soil, bad drainage, there are no worms in the soil whatsoever.

The soil has about 2/3 inches of top soil for a grass covering, but beneath that is literally rusty/yellow soil which has little drainage.

Last winter the ground was water-logged in several places showing some rushes, indicating lots of water retention.

We have just finished putting in some rows of 6 inch drainage pipe (yellow type with holes ) and hope that this will improve the drainage, however we would like to improve the soil quality to enable us to grow a few shrubs/ rhododenrons, and other plants and possibly some vegetables.

Would appreciate tips from anyone who has had similar experience in the past.
Thank you

Lumen

How big is the site? Is it flat or sloped? What is access like for vehicles and machinery? Where in the country is it? What is your budget?

Conology

having done a lot of the work already the grass area is now about .5 -.75 acs, Its a fairly level site, with a bit of a slope ok but not significant I'd say.
Location South East - Coastal side, no budget set for this part of the job, the budget is well and truly blown already.

Lumen

This soil survey might be useful for understanding the geology of your area.

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2011/822/Soil_Geochemical_AtlasofIreland.pdf

If your budget is limited I'd try and work with what you have. See what grows in the area. Find plants that thrive in wet soil conditions.

If your soil is easily compacted you need to stay off it when it's wet and only dig it when it wants to be dug (i.e. not winter or summer when it will be either waterlogged or baked hard).

Limit your ambition to a few areas and keep adding organic matter, rotted manure etc to build up the soil. Find cheap sources of good quality topsoil, peat moss, and rotted manure and don't buy bags from garden centres. Start a compost heap and grow stuff that you can put on it.

I was watching this "no dig" video the other day and am thinking of applying it to my own clayey garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVY4SJt4mzg

I recently sowed veg and despite adding loads of compost and manure and digging/mixing well I made the mistake of standing on the wet soil between the rows as I was planting. Now when I water there's puddles forming where I stepped.

Conology

Hi Lumen

Thanks for the detailed information - very helpful. Thank you

MysticMonk

Just to be aware that Rhododendron is considered an invasive species.

magicbastarder

it's rhododendron ponticum which is the problematic one, iirc. most others should be OK.

_Brian

Conology wrote: »

Hi Lumen

Thanks for the detailed information - very helpful. Thank you

For growing shrubs etc it's really not that complicated. You should get yourself some really wellrotted manure / compost.

Where you plan beds and shrubs dig up what you have and dig in plenty of any of the above.

Basically any soil will be improved by adding plenty of compost/manure down 12 inches deep. It will take allot of digging but it works every time. (Presuming you sorted the drainage). If your stil worried about drainage you can add in sharp sand as you dig.

Lumen

_Brian wrote: »

If you're stil worried about drainage you can add in sharp sand as you dig.

I read in a few places that adding sand to clay soil is a really bad idea as the tiny clay particles will the voids in the sand and you end up with something like concrete.

It scared me enough not to try it.

_Brian

Lumen wrote: »

I read in a few places that adding sand to clay soil is a really bad idea as the tiny clay particles will the voids in the sand and you end up with something like concrete.

It scared me enough not to try it.

I've done it hear along with compost and it has worked fine.

lazybones32

Conology wrote: »

Hi
We have a site with very poor soil, bad drainage, there are no worms in the soil whatsoever.

The soil has about 2/3 inches of top soil for a grass covering, but beneath that is literally rusty/yellow soil which has little drainage.

Last winter the ground was water-logged in several places showing some rushes, indicating lots of water retention.

We have just finished putting in some rows of 6 inch drainage pipe (yellow type with holes ) and hope that this will improve the drainage, however we would like to improve the soil quality to enable us to grow a few shrubs/ rhododenrons, and other plants and possibly some vegetables.

Would appreciate tips from anyone who has had similar experience in the past.
Thank you

Make planting pits for the plants that won't tolerate your soul - don't try improving the whole area.
If the drainage works, the soil will improve gradually but it'd be easier to just buy topsoil for the veg beds

magicbastarder

lazybones32 wrote: »

Make planting pits for the plants that won't tolerate your soul

that's a bit harsh.

lazybones32

magicbastarder wrote: »

that's a bit harsh.

Autocorrect takes no prisoners.