Clay soil,

[Kasia]

Hello !
My first ever post here so please excuse any faux pas.
My garden is in the new estate , lots of clay, stones and building remainders (?) AM I delulu thinking that I don't have to completely replace it ,the top layer or so, and if I will be adding good compost on top and planting lots of different plants and vegetables then the soil will somehow improve ?

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to you Kasia - I like someone with a sense of humour - never heard the expression delulu before, but have most definitely added it to my best vocabulary,
Maybe if you say 12 hail Marys and a couple of how's yer fathers, all the builders rubble will miraculously disappear. Otherwise, I might decide it best to get a shovel and remove some of it. Have a poke about with a fork, and investigate if there's any soil at all underneath and make a decision then. Otherwise it would be a bit like trowelling two inches of makeup on your face to cover up spots. Not the best plan. I wish you all the luck in the world, and hope that as you dig you will come up with a pot of gold. Happy days

 

[Meadowlark]

Welcome. "delulu" is a new one on me, but if it means what I think then, NO you are not delulu.

Clay can be amended with organic matter and turned into outstanding garden soil over time. Compost especially composted animal manures are extremely beneficial to breaking down clay into usable garden soil. Green manures are also extremely effective. The practice of "chop and drop" is commonly used in this regard. Cover crops are truly outstanding at this also and legumes add valuable nitrogen to your soil.

These practices take time, but the resulting soils can offer a lifetime of gardening and producing nutritious tasty veggies.

There are other amendments perhaps more expeditious that can be used but the above are normally essentially free, are long lasting, and offer arguably the healthiest productive soils.

They are each an integral part of my garden practices.