Whats the best way to break up clay soil in my garden beds?
Believe it or not, when working to improve clay soil, you are actually attempting to “aggregate” the clay particles, and not “break it apart.” Clay particles are very tiny, flat particles, so they stack together like a stack of plates. It’s when they act as independent particles that they cause problems in the garden, leading to poor water drainage and little air movement in the soil. When you add organic amendments to the soil, they are attempting to aggregate or glue these particles together into small clumps to improve the pore space in the soil, thus improving drainage and aeration. As the microbes in the soil break down the organic material gardeners add, they produce gums and glues that aggregate the soil particles. Generally, gardeners add organic amendments annually to soil over a period of years to improve soil conditions. There is no quick fix. Sphagnum peat moss, animal manures, and yard waste compost are a few amendments for use in vegetable gardens. Generally, they are add
