Fruit bushes and Soil type

[MummyPuppy]

we have very heavy clay soil and I was wondering if someone could tell me whether, currants, gooseberries, raspberries and apple trees would be okay planted directly into it, otherwise I thought of making raised beds and planting them in there.
Thanks

[Snadger]

we have very heavy clay soil and I was wondering if someone could tell me whether, currants, gooseberries, raspberries and apple trees would be okay planted directly into it, otherwise I thought of making raised beds and planting them in there.
Thanks

As long as you do a bit of localised improvement to the soil I can't forsee any problems!

[Lesley Jay]

Ours is clay soil and the fruit grows great.

[Grandpadragon]

Ours is so heavy and as I'm getting decrepid I put in 12" raised beds with good top soil and as fruit bushes are fairley shallow rooted all are doing well. Down side is the cost but I never would have dug it over.

[Sue]

MP
Yes, I agree, am on very heavy clay soil and all the fruit seems to be fine. I would add that if your soil doesn't drain well like mine (I'm at the bottom end of the allotments so in this weather I am awash!) you do need to make sure the raspberry rows are well heaped up so that their roots are not in too much water.
Sue

[MummyPuppy]

we have very heavy clay soil and I was wondering if someone could tell me whether, currants, gooseberries, raspberries and apple trees would be okay planted directly into it, otherwise I thought of making raised beds and planting them in there.
Thanks

Thank you all for the advice on clay soil fruit bushes.

mummy puppy (Patricia)

[rustylady]

Clay is hard to dig, dries out in summer, and gets waterlogged in winter, but once established trees and bushes seem to do really well in it. If planting new specimens I would dig a large hole, iand ncorporate compost or manure or gritty sand to break the clay up a bit.