# Improving clay soil



## MChang (Aug 8, 2021)

I live in Indianapolis and have heavy clay soil. 70 year old home. I aerate every fall. Do the fertilizer thing etc...Is there something I can apply on top of the existing lawn that will improve the quality of the soil short of having compost light spread over the existing lawn? I see these liquids you spray or gypsum(which I believe takes years to breakdown to work)?

Thanks

brian


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## Tsmith (Aug 11, 2017)

Improving soil doesn't happen overnight and is more of a long game so the best way to approach it is to add what you can every year knowing you are slowly improving it.

Feeding the microbes in the soil with organics which they then turn into organic matter is the best way to improve your soil.
Organic fertilizers
Compost
Cracked Corn, Alfalfa Pellets, etc

Clippings and leaves are free compost so always good to mulch mow them when you can.

Any benefit from aerating is temporary at best.


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## dtuck (Sep 23, 2021)

Lesco makes a product, carbon pro g. It is a granular product that can be spread w a spreader. It's a mixture of bio char, compost & soil enriching microbes.


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## dtuck (Sep 23, 2021)

And yes it is a process, one app will not fix all your issues. I have been using it on hard packed red clay, w other organic supplements w success.


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## MChang (Aug 8, 2021)

dtuck said:


> Lesco makes a product, carbon pro g. It is a granular product that can be spread w a spreader. It's a mixture of bio char, compost & soil enriching microbes.


Thanks. Brian


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

Aerate eventually...still need the carbon added but bringing clay to surface helps mix everything up.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

70yr old soil likely doesn't need much besides water. Have it tested and do check for heavy metals if you have a garden. Some areas of Indy have toxic soils.


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## MChang (Aug 8, 2021)

dtuck said:


> And yes it is a process, one app will not fix all your issues. I have been using it on hard packed red clay, w other organic supplements w success.


Looked this up. says 10#'s per 1000 sq ft. I have 18,000 sq ft to treat and it says every two four weeks. Just not practical to use. thanks brian


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## dtuck (Sep 23, 2021)

40lb bags at that rate=4.5 bags per 18k, for initial app, maintenance rate is half that. application interval completely depends on existing soil quality/goals. Since there isn't a npk rating, I tend to go a little heavy having red clay soil I have been using 200lbs for about 12k 4x this year w good results. More expensive than yards of compost, but 5 bags pretty easy to deal with.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

There are a few components that you might be looking at. Composition, nutrient level, organic matter, etc.

Depending on what your soil test shows and what you want to achieve the action would be different. Such as improving drainage or just increase nutrient levels or adding organic matter throughout your profile.

You said you aerat every year, do you top dress with anything at all? That might be a good idea to add something like compost or sand etc. Will really help the profile of your soil faster I think.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Are you happy with how your grass looks every year?


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## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

Mulch mow grass. Mulch mow any leaves you can find even take bags of leaves from neighbors. Fertilize with SBM or other cheap feeds in the warm weather. It's a long process but does happen. 70 year old lawn the soil might not be as bad as you think.


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## Cluelessone (Sep 23, 2020)

Mulch mowing question - black walnut trees secrete a chemical juglone that is toxic to... well everything, but some plants more than others.

Is it still worth mulch mowing leaves from the black walnut? Or bag those ones?


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## cyrjm (Apr 6, 2020)

I live in GA, dealing with compact clay as well. I've understood it that the best way to get organic content in the soil is root cycling from healthy grass. And I'm not the most patient man on the planet either...


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Cluelessone said:


> Mulch mowing question - black walnut trees secrete a chemical juglone that is toxic to... well everything, but some plants more than others.
> 
> Is it still worth mulch mowing leaves from the black walnut? Or bag those ones?


I would bag those. The roots and limbs are also affected. I think PRG is one of the least affected grasses.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Cluelessone said:


> Mulch mowing question - black walnut trees secrete a chemical juglone that is toxic to... well everything, but some plants more than others.
> 
> Is it still worth mulch mowing leaves from the black walnut? Or bag those ones?


Before the tornado took them the lawn under the walnuts was my most weed free grass. Never bag those leaves. I will however bag leaves in other areas to add to the garden.
I don't even bother picking up the fruit.
Still have some smaller black walnut in the hedgerow that is the property line. I just don't plant tomatoes near them, otherwise all seems good.


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