Benefits That Clay Soil Can Have in Your Organic Garden
by John Yazo
Even though clay soil is harder to work with than a soil that is full of organic matter, clay does have it's benefits. Plant nutrition to pest control are both among the benefits that this soil can provide naturally.
Clay is a soil that retains vital minerals that are required for a good healthy plant growth. Calcium,iron, and potassium to name a few, along with a variety of other beneficial organic compounds. It also can be used and greatly beneficial when mixed with organic material for composting.
Plants need support when growing to defend themselves for the elements of weather, like winds and heavy rainfall. Soils like sand can't give plant life the support they need and can be easily damaged by being blow over, harming or destroying there root systems. Clay has the ability to bond, adding to the soils viscosity by giving it the ability to bond together and support the above ground weight of plant life. Clay soil is made up of many small particles that fit together tightly, and when mixed with other more granular soil types, even compost, they have the ability to bind the other soil type particles together, making them denser and more supportive for plants.
A soil that drains to quickly can be a problem for your gardens. Water moving through soil can rob it from beneficial nutrients and minerals that plants need. By adding clay to a soil that drains to fast, you will give the soil the ability to retain moisture, allowing the soil to stay moist longer and even through dry periods. Clay has unique shape particles that will actually trap water between them, allowing this water to be released over a longer period of time. Clay is a good soil amendment to be used for water conservation.
Many soils have a problem with being washed away during heavy rains. Clay is an excellent soil amendment for preventing erosion, due to the nature of clay particles and it's ability to bond with other particles.
Clay soils do have there good qualities. Due to it's density, it retains moisture well and is more nutrient rich than many other soil types. The reason being, is that the negative charged particles that make up clay attract and pick up the positively charged particles of calcium, magnesium and potassium. It can be used as a natural soil amendment to benefit the soil in your garden.
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