Improving Dead Soil.

[gness]

I have skimmed off a fairly large area of lawn to make beds. The soil is, as you can imagine, very compacted and as its on a slope it's dry. The earth underneath, when exposed, becomes like blocks...erosion of the dusty soil I guess.
It's not red clay....that is quite deeper but the soil, even when dug over remains clumpy and looks dead.
I shall buy soil improver and later some good topsoil but do you have any hints on what else I can do to make the soil good?
I am hiring a young, fit lad to dig over tomorrow as it's almost beyond me but if I haven't lost half a stone today I'm giving up!

[gness]

I had one knocking about but couldn't find it last week, Paddy...they're worth using then?

[Spoonboy]

If you put mushroom compost on, there won't be any room for your plants, surely! I'm with shoota.

[gness]

There will, Spoon...and don't encourage Shoota...:-)

[Spoonboy]

Sorry! Have a guinness.

[gness]

Thank you...x

[paddywak]

Depends what kind of plants you're thinking of growing gness,though it it doesn't matter with a lot of plants others are pretty sensitive.

[Spoonboy]

After you have finished with your garden, you should invest in a vegetarian lion: they work, vegetarians keep well away.

[jomifl]

Farmyard manure, stable refuse, pig manure etc. enough to cover the area to a depth of about 3". Leave for a year and let the worms do the digging. I used to live on sandy soil in Hampshire and manure of any sort disappeared almost overnight, the soil was so hungry.

[gness]

Thank you all...looks like a year of manure digging then...:-)

[starone]

Can I add my thanks to gness's. I have the same problem and so have read this thread with great interest, especially the serious bits. Well, I read the naughty bits as well, I confess.

[gness]

The spent mushroom compost has been delivered...huge bag which I have spread around the back garden...looks and feels so alive and beautiful, I could roll in it. Thanks Woof.
Now, I have left one area about 12'x6' because it is much worse than I thought....despite the digging yesterday.....Huge clods of solid dry clay.
So I will now manure that part and leave it until next year as suggested.
Can I add sharp sand and soil improver as well or just the manure and should I cover it over with anything to suppress weeds?
Thanks Gx

[shoota]

Grass seed.....water.....wait.....

[gness]

You're still looking pleased to see me, Shoota...or is that a gun? :-(

[shoota]

No, I'm pleased to see you, but not ecstatic - yet!

[gness]

Well, when you become ecstatic...mind the dog's head....x

[themorrigan]

I would top dress the area with with lime and some manure and let the winter frosts do some of the work over the winter, Don't suppress the weeds as they can be sprayed in the spring with a systemic weedkiller and after a couple of weeks dug into the ground as green manure which will help break down the clay.

[ferlew]

Gness, you are going to want grit too, if you have clay, it will help break the clay, and help with drainage later.
A builders merchant is FAR cheaper than getting it from a Garden Centre.

[gness]

Thanks, M...was wondering about lime.....it's only a small area and the other side of the garden is improving but this patch is the worst I have ever seen so all advice is much appreciated.....
Well unless it's about grass...;-)

[gness]

Grit sounds good Ferlew...it certainly needs more life...I won't go to Jewson's though...banned...:-(

[shoota]

Or sod.
That'd work.