How to Grow Magnificent Flowers in Clay Soil

Clay soil is full of nutrients, but it is so compact, it is hard for the tender roots of flowers to penetrate. The plant literally starves to death trying to extract the nutrients from the clay. A raised bed with some of the rich clay mixed in with bedding soil and plenty of organic amendments produces magnificent flowers. Seed and bulbs do exceptionally well in a clay and soil raised bed. Making a raised bed is work, but the rewards are substantial.

Landscape timber, bricks or stones
Garden soil
Mulch
Pine straw
Shovel
Hatchet
Plants

Instructions

- 1
  Decide where to put the raised bed. Choose a spot that gets a lot of light and some full sun. The further north you live, the more sun you need. If you're in the South or in an area that receives bright, hot sun, you need some shade in the hottest part of the day.
- 2
  Box in the area for the bed. Clay soil holds water. Use landscape timbers if the bed is located in an area with a gentle slope and good drainage; if it's in a flat area, use bricks or stones, which let the water escape.
- 3
  Dig out the clay with a shovel to about 8 inches deep. Clay digs better when it's damp. When it's dry, it's like digging cement. Wet the soil with a garden hose until the clay is damp. If it's hard to dig, add a little more water.
- 4
  Mix garden soil and mulch from a local nursery. Add leaves and pine straw to it. Use a hatchet to chop the clay dug from the bed into small pieces. Mix some of it into the soil and straw mixture. The small pieces of clay will release rich nutrients to feed the flowers.
- 5
  Plant the flower bed. You can use bulbs, seeds, plants or a combination of all three. Place the tallest plants to the center or the back of the raised bed, with the smallest around the edges. You'll see the results of your efforts when the weather warms up.

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