Sticky Soil

[Le Doazac]

Hi, Can anyone give me some rockery plant advice? We've got really heavy clay-based soil which is incredibly hard to work. I'm designing a rockery which I wanted to put lots of alpines in. I don't think that'll work though with the soil. Can anyone give me some advice as to what kind of plants would do the same job?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Hi, Can anyone give me some rockery plant advice? We've got really heavy clay-based soil which is incredibly hard to work. I'm designing a rockery which I wanted to put lots of alpines in. I don't think that'll work though with the soil. Can anyone give me some advice as to what kind of plants would do the same job?

Give the rockery a good mulching with peat and fork that into your soils a best you can. That should enable you to plant your alpines. I know that some people don't approve of using peat but it gives me no problems.

[Le Doazac]

I'll certainly give it a go - thanks very much!

[Two_Sheds]

Rockery plants are naturally love dry free-draining soil don't they? I would have thought peat was too rich for them.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Rockery plants are naturally love dry free-draining soil don't they? I would have thought peat was too rich for them.

Peat is short in nutrients so richness is not a problem. Clay soil does not drain readily and the peat will condition it and allow it to drain.

[Two_Sheds]

I kind of meant moist-rich, not nutrient-rich. I would be adding grit to the clay, myself

[Le Doazac]

OK I'm a little confused now. My understanding was that alpines love gritty soil which is why I was struggling to grow them. The water actually sits in puddles on the soil for ages after it's rained - it's a nightmare. I've already tried to mix shale/small pebbles in but without success. Perhaps I haven't used enough. I'm pretty clueless about the peat idea so am happy to try it.