Ohio clay is usually very fertile and you will pick up on the technique for gardening in it. When you say "new house" is it new to you, or just built? If it is newly constructed, are you trying to put beds into backfill or top soil (term used with a lot of poetic license) the contractors left?

The whole thing with bulbs is drainage. You can put them in the worst kind of clay and have them survive if it drains, and that can mean being especially watchful you place them on slopes or at least not at low points in your gardens.

It is helpful when working with clay soil to get it worked at just exactly the proper point in time between rains. Too soon, and it compacts into putty, too late and it is the consistansy of concrete........just at the right time, and it breaks up amazingly easily and is workable. When I do my vegetable gardening, it is usually impromptu because not only do I have to watch for the right temperatures, but there may only be a matter of hours or days when the toil is the right tilth to be worked. It can be done, however. As you will also learn, you develop an increasing respect for compost piles and organic material, which should be worked over the years into your gardens.

I have had success in lifting sod in my yard to naturalize crocus etc. and simply replacing it on top of the bulbs. I also dig with a gardener's fork when I need to break up the clay. Calliope has it right about compost. I topdress and work it into all of my beds as well as make raised beds. I did my first "lasagna" garden this spring and am letting the worms do the digging for me. It worked wonderfully!

Check out the soil and compost forum too. They have lots of great info about how to deal with clay.

Good luck!

~~Mimi~~

Thanks Calliope and Mimi. I'm going to try again this weekend--or Monday to give more time to dry out from the recent rain. It hasn't gotten too cold yet so I'm hoping it will be OK. I'll be checking out the other tips for next year.

I don't have the time, energy or money to dig amendments into the entire area I call a garden. So whenever I dig a hole, I add some organic material and/or bagged black top soil to the hole - whatever is on hand at the time. Once you've dug in a spot, it will be easier next time, and easier all around that spot. The increase in drainage after digging several thousand holes over the past couple years is amazing, too! Did you discuss the soil with the landscaper? Unless specified otherwise, it's likely they just used the stuff from the hole they dug to make the basement.

I agree with the above, too. The best thing you can do is one of the easiest - spread compost on your garden. Even a layer of leaves would be a good start.