Turning Clay Into Usable Dirt Question

[Owdboggy]

That sounds very much like what I did to the boulder clay in our first ever garden. Worked a treat and boy could we grow stuff afterwards.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I don't know what your winters are like, but turning soil without bothering to break it up lets it weather and break up a bit, especially if it freezes. Try and work it when it is moist, dry it goes rock hard and you don't break it up well, too wet and the clay particles get closer together. Think of of the way they knead clay to make pots, it makes it more waterproof too, you can dig out a pond and spend an afternoon having a puddling party where everyone gets in the hole with a hose and puddles the clay all around the walls and bottom making it waterproof. Best on a sunny day with some alcohol, you all get very muddy.

 

[PGB1]

I don't know what your winters are like, but turning soil without bothering to break it up lets it weather and break up a bit, especially if it freezes. Try and work it when it is moist, dry it goes rock hard and you don't break it up well, too wet and the clay particles get closer together. Think of of the way they knead clay to make pots, it makes it more waterproof too, you can dig out a pond and spend an afternoon having a puddling party where everyone gets in the hole with a hose and puddles the clay all around the walls and bottom making it waterproof. Best on a sunny day with some alcohol, you all get very muddy.

I suppose if this mess I made doesn't work magic on the clay, I can make Mud Bricks out of it and build a planter. Anything to keep it out of the landfill)