Good amendment for Heavy Clay

penny1947

14 years ago

Do you have heavy clay soil that is hard to break up in your planting beds? I found a product last year that I used some but really put it to work for me this year. It is called Garden Magic Top Soil and it is a mix of sand and peat. I grow a lot of xeric and southwestern plants for my hummingbirds and this stuff has done wonders for the drainage in my flower beds. It is cheap too....only about $2.88 for a 40 lb. bag. It is made by Michigan Peat.

Penny

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Magic Top Soil

Comments (5)

hilomark
14 years ago
Penny,

Thanks for the tip! Where do you buy this product? I am over in the central part of the state, and not sure it is available here.

Lois
penny1947
Original Author
14 years ago
Lois
I am in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area and I have found it available in severa of our local nurseries. If BACCTO potting mix is available at any of your local nurseries, there is a good chance that they carry Garden Magic also as both are made by Michigan Peat. I have never seen it in the big box stores only local garden centers.

Penny
rosalinda_gw
14 years ago
Hi Penny,
I have been using the Garden Magic Peat and Manure for a few years, but did not know about the topsoil, which would be good for my clay soil. Thanks for the tip. I will have to see if I can get the folks who carry the P&M to carry the topsoil also.

-Rosalinda
nixon
14 years ago
i tried cocco shells (a lot) once with a good result, but i can't find them anymore. near portageville/letchworth. let us know, sometimes i have trees come down in storms because they are rooted in clay, and it always seems to be such a good opportunity to start a new garden! cathleen
penny1947
Original Author
14 years ago
Also if you add a few shovels of compost in with the top soil and work that into the clay you get a nice loamy mix and by the way I have had less problems with slugs even with all the rain we have had lately. In fact I have only found 2 out of all the planting areas that I amended the soil with garden magic. There must be just enough grit in there to make them uncomfortable.

Penny