# Hard clay, lots of products



## Ncfire11 (Jul 4, 2020)

I've been looking into theories on how to amend my hard, compacted clay soil. There's a lot of stuff out there and I am trying to separate the marketing hype from what really has been working for folks.

Things such as humichar, biochar, liquid air8, etc are pretty consistent, but I've also seen cheaper alternatives that might work just as well.

Also have seen mixing sand/gypsum/compost into soil but I feel like that isn't necessarily the way to go and that it will likely wash off with the first hard rain. 
Also heard about core aerating and backfilling the holes with this or that.

Any thoughts on what has worked for you all? I have a new Bermuda seeded lawn(ROYAL TXD) that has been coming up well but seems to be struggling with the hard dirt even though I water it daily if need be.


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## RVAGuy (Jul 27, 2020)

I had a contractor mix in 20 yards of mushroom compost over 8ksf with a harley rake and couldn't be happier. I had a lawn that was nothing but weeds, but did a renovation with this being one of the first steps and I'm glad I did. I think I'll maintain the organic matter with Andersen's Humic DG (70% humic acid, plus other goodies). You get a lot more humic acid versus spraying this and that by using granules.


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## tomckey (Jun 21, 2021)

Well, I am very much new to caring for a Bermuda lawn the "correct" way, but I'm in North Texas, and I have heavy clay, and this is what I do for soil and grass nutrients:

Humichar at least once a month, about 2lbs per 1000Sq Ft.

Tournament ready w/actisol, once every 3 weeks.

PGR (Primo-Max) with N & Fe, applications based on a GDD calculator.

16-4-8 fertilizer (granular) as needed. Trying to keep my N application between .5lbs - 1lbs per 1000 per month. When I run out of the granular I bought, I will be switching to an all liquid routine.

I have leveled once this year, with core aeration first, picking up the cores, then applying a 50/50 sand/compost mix. I lost a lot of the "fill" due to the amount of compost, but I felt it was needed due to the heavy clay I have. I will be doing another round of leveling this year with an 80/20 mix, because while I feel the compost is a benefit, I hate doing all the work to lose so much volume as the compost settles into the soil.

Of course, fungicide and insecticide as needed, but those are not really for the soil. I should note that I did not have my soil tested this spring prior to this undertaking. My neighbor did and shared with me the attached analysis. Since both homes are new construction, with the same builder and landscape crew, I feel safe in thinking my analysis would be very similar.

My lawn is looking amazing now. I have one neighbor who is on a very similar routine as mine, and all our other neighbors always compliment our lawns.


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## JLavoe (Jun 8, 2020)

@tomckey Before you buy any sort of soil amendment, get yourself a good soil test. Last thing you want is to throw down biochar on a lawn with very high CEC.

Focus on your watering situation, pH, and NPK.


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## tomckey (Jun 21, 2021)

@JLavoe Did you mean that for the OP, or for me?


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## Ncfire11 (Jul 4, 2020)

I feel like core aeration and filling holes with some kind of organic material makes the most sense as far as relieving compaction and providing carbon to the soil. It's just a matter of finding something suitable to fill those holes, and from what I read I shouldn't aerate this early in the lawns life.

I appreciate everyone's input


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## Ncfire11 (Jul 4, 2020)

It looks to me like the hard soil is stopping the seeds from coming up. I've been watering each morning and evening for 20 mins but in the middle of the day it's bone dry again. I've got some quality topsoil down the street so I may core aerate and fill the holes with that topsoil if you folks think it may benefit it. Also going to apply liquid aerator tomorrow. The ground is so hard plus the grade of the land makes it difficult for water to get much deeper than a 1/2in.

No idea as to why there is such a definative line in my yard either. Unless I worked it a little more while grading it and loosened it up deeper.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

20min twice a day is not enough water. Try 5 or 6 times a day but shorter durations. You want the soil to remain moist all the time during seeding.


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## Ncfire11 (Jul 4, 2020)

Both of us working during the day and 18,000sqft makes it very difficult on well water unfortunately. We have had decent luck with rain and looks like TS Elsa may be helping out next weekend as well


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Get a spigot timer.


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