Good But Hard Dirt?
Question:Hay guys. I have reallly good dirt but it gets hard. I would like a TOOL (Not chemicles or bark crap) just a tool that I could use every day to soften it up. If their are toolS i need so be it. Just a simple tool or tools i need to soften it up for flowers. thx
Answers:
Depending on the size of the area you want to treat or make friable You can add either coarse sand, Perlite or those tiny Styrofoam balls to the soil to keep it loose and workable. None of the additions will break down as they are inorganic. I have used Perlite in flower beds and a rather large "truck garden" I had in KY a few years back. The produce I used in my restaurant and had many compliments on the taste and quality. There are no chemicals in any of the choices I mentioned above.
Just work what ever you choose into the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches and turn the soil a few times and your growing medium will remain that way without "packing"
Good luck, I hope your flowers grow and multiply!
well...i don't know if the flower beds already exist or if you are thinking of planting them in the future, but wearing golf shoes when working in the yard helps to break up the very surface of the soil. they are great when you are mowing the lawn as well...especially if you have a yard that slopes!
Try mixing in some compost. If you don't have your own, you can pick some up from your local garden center. Mix that in with the soil you already have, and it will help give the flowers nutrients, and keep the soil workable. Also, use a little rake, and keep mixing and turning the soil.
Dear gardening friend,
There is a tool . Many of the home improvement and gardening centers sell them this time of year. I cannot spam the names here but they are a four (curved) prong, hip high handled tool you stick into the ground and twist to soften hard soils like yours. Good luck and happy gardening.
I second xenomenot's recommendation of the four-pronged garden tool.
It's called "The Claw", and here's the link to a picture and info on Amazon:
Small pick axe. Than to correct the problem
Compost, Sand and Lime. Mix together 1/2 lb Lime, 10lbs sand, 50lbs of compost than Mix it through the dirt ..
The sand allows for proper water irragation and keeps the soil from clumping together . The Compost adds more nutrients and also keeps the soil from clumping together. Slow release Lime corrects the "ph" value of the soil and it also helps break down the compost to release it's nutrients.
You might have good dirt but it sounds to me like you have dead dirt. It has no organic life in it. Do you have earth worms in it?
You will need to encourage them and other critters. I do this by collecting grass clippings and other organic refuse and composting them right on the garden bed or place that I want to make the bed.
If I am breaking in a new bed I will do this for a year or more before I do anything else. I will make sure that no weeds grow there during this time. At the end of the time I will dig it over and plant a green manure crop. this will be dug in and left. I will do a soil analysis, correct any deficiency. Now it is time to plant. at this time you should have a nice friable soil.
I have added sand and such like to clay type soils but it doesn't work as well as good old compost.
I have also sheet composted working gardens and mulched with grass clippings and shredded organic matter.
Another way is to plant strong rooted annual plants. These break up the soil and you just cut the tops off and leave the roots to rot in the ground. this creates pathways for the soil to be broken up by rain etc. It works better with sheet composting.
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