Establishing an orchard in clay soil

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by cactus ed, Aug 31, 2005.

  1. cactus ed

    cactus ed New Member

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    Having recently purchased a one acre block I'm keen to develop an orchard. However I am hesitant to make a start as the soil is pure clay, the type that sets as hard as cement in summer, and u dissapear into in winter.
    I am unsure about just digging a series of planting holes, using compost and assorted manures and just putting in fruit trees.Has anyone out there
    had experience with growing fruit in clay? Water and fertilisers/manures
    are not a problem. I just want to consider all the options before making a decision.

    Cactus Ed.
     
  2. verrall

    verrall Junior Member

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    Hi Cactus ed,

    The thing you have to look out for is water sitting around the roots of fruit trees.

    I have a very heavy Black clay soil. What I do is build raised beds, at least 30cm above the clay soil. If you are looking at doing a big area, I would deep rip the clay to about 30cm, and mix in some gypsum, then put your built-up beds on top of that with your premium soil and manure/composts, and finally mulching. Try to keep grass away from around the bottom of your fruit trees, as some do not like grass.

    Now, you may not have to go to this trouble. You might be lucky and just be able to plant the trees straight in the clay, but probably not!!

    Another option is to grow them in big pots - but they are high maintainence that way.

    Hope that helps?
     
  3. Steve J.

    Steve J. Junior Member

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    One minor suggestion, if ripping in clay for trees it is best to rip in two directions (i.e. a + pattern) as the tree roots will spread both ways not just along one rip. With a single rip the tree roots take the path of least resistance (along the rip) and you’ll find they will blow over fairly easily.

    As for improving the clay, you can't add too much composted organic material on top of the Gypsum, if you can dig it in. You could add sand to improve drainage, better adding extra organic matter and letting the worms do the digging. It will take a while but you'll get there, good luck.

    Steve
     
  4. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Steve, I have 1/2 acre orchard in clay, there are cracks you could lose your first born in during the summer. I used the lasagna method to improve the soil, which works all winter and will be ready in the spring.

    https://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

    I grow rye and purple vetch as a cover crop, and have brought in tons of granite sand because it is a 10-year source of some very important minerals and breaks up the clay. Notice in the structure portion below loam is 45% sand. You may not need that much, try to get a balance between sand and organic matter, but it takes lots and lots of organic matter, a constant supply, since it keeps breaking down, and cover crops are much less work. But you need enough sand to create the air pockets in the clay. If you don't use enough, the clay will dominate.

    Here's a test you can do to make sure you know what's going on:

    1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fillting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it it for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. Your primary concern is the OM level and yours may be pretty good.

    2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

    3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

    4) Smell. What does your soil smell like. Pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell.

    5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.


    Here's a good link about pH:

    https://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/garden/07727.html
     
  5. sab

    sab Junior Member

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    I also have heavy clay soils.

    When we first bought our place 4 years ago I was lucky to score dozens of trees for $150. The hard part was getting them in the ground. I only had three weeks and I was going overseas. And it was January. It was a really dry year. I had to soak the ground just to be able to make the hole - then I put in Gypsum and some slow release fertilizer, the trees and lots of mulch. Also a drip system.

    The majority survived and I had my first two mangos last season. I'd put in a lot of palms as well and they did really well. The main problem was watering. I wasn't there and the tenant who got hugely discounted rent for the promise of taking care of it was unreliable. When we move there ourselves - probably next year I'll plant lots more trees but at least I'll be there to water them.

    The big advantage of clay is that it does hold water.
     
  6. biofarmag

    biofarmag Junior Member

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    The action of gypsum is complex. It is often advertised as "clay breaker". If only it were that simple! Clay is clay. It is what it is. You won't change that. Gypsum won't change that. There are clay soils (and other soil types, containing clay) which have a very weak structure due to excess sodium. These are known as "sodic" soils. Gypsum CAN improve the structure of these soils (structure = the way that the soil particles relate to each other. Good structure = crumbs with interspaces for root, water and air penetration/infiltration. Poor structure = lack of crumbs and interspaces.). In order for gypsum to improve the structure you need gypsum, to replace the sodium with calcium. But for this to happen, you need drainage through very effective deep-ripping, and sufficient good-quality water to leach the sodium through the profile. Putting in a layer of gypsum and hoping for the best, this is a waste of time. The first thing to do is to get a full soil test and interpretation to sort out whether your soil IS sodic, and whether it will benefit from gypsum (and the associated ripping it will need).

    But you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If it's a very heavy clay, you'll always have limitations. The advise to MOUND is very sound advice. You'd be better though to get in the dozer and make SWALES, thus ensuring sufficient soil depth and breadth for the roots to grow in, and some well-draining interrows. Select species of trees that cope well with heavy soils, eg. forget avocados.
     

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