Turning Clay Into Usable Dirt Question

[PGB1]

Hello All!
I apologize if this is written somewhere else on the group, but Search isn't working for me today,

I had to remove a section of driveway to repair the sewer. It can't be paved until spring due to cold weather, so I decided to put a layer of 21AA gravel for winter. This left me with about 1/2 yard of heavy, tightly packed clay. The clay comes up in large chunks when I dig with the mattock.

Years ago someone told me that if ground up leaves are mixed with the clay it becomes usable soil for the garden. Since I have 5 maple trees surrounding the yard, leaves are plentiful. I usually grind the leaves up with the lawnmower anyway. And I have a small, electric utility mixer to help.

Even though it's inexpensive to dump clay, I hate to take the clay to the landscape supplier because the guy there told me it ends up in a landfill.

Does this sound like a good plan? Do you know a better way to save the clay?

Thanks For Your Advice!
Paul

 

[Anniekay]

Compost added to clay, which would consist of all types of garden and yard waste, that has rotted down to make a rich dirt is what is needed to amend clay soils.

Uncomposted leaves are not going to do much right away, they need to be composted first.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I live on heavy clay soil. When I make up potting compost I always work in a little clay, the tiny particles get surrounded by water as they are small enough the surface tension of the water keeps them there, and nutrients dissolve in water. It's easy to get too much though.
The other thing I do is whenever I have a fire I set it up to burn good and hot and add the clay to it, if possible I dry it out first. The tiny ends of the clay melt and fuse giving you a sort of rough terracotta. When the fire dies down I shovel it all up and go through it with a spade to break up the pieces, then put it through a sieve, I wear a mask, the ash flies. The result is a mixture of wood ash and terracotta, potash and drainage, it does clay earth the world of good.