Planting specifics? I got questions

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ryan112ryan Charlotte, NC Mar 31, 2009

So i am in zone 7, here we have very dense red clay. I added about 300 pounds of topsoil, 120 pounds of manuer and a large pack of peat, tilled it all together 12" down, and tested for Ph and others (im at the right levels), the garden is about 150 square feet.

So heres is my questions

1. the soil is a bit lumpy/crumbly its made up of pea sized peices of dirt/clay, larger than topsoil/potting mix, is this okay?

2. when i plant seeds, I dig the hole, do I put anything in with the seed? should I/can I just cover the seed with soil described in question 1? will the plant be able to push through that?

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NatureLover1950 Vicksburg, MS(Zone 8a) Mar 31, 2009

You shouldn't need to add anything in with your seeds at planting. Pea sized bits of clay should not cause a problem for emerging seedlings. If you think you might need it, you could sprinkle some sort of fertilizer over the top after all your seeds are planted.

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shune Burien, WA(Zone 7b) Mar 31, 2009

I have heard this, but not tried it. If there is a concern about small seedlings emerging through heavy soil, you can make your holes as usual, then cover the seed with the finer textured potting mix. Keep em moist.

Maybe someone with more knowledge about this will come along and confirm... or not! :O)

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Mar 31, 2009

Depends on what you are planting. That old Piedmont red clay is great for growing a lot of things, but some things have problems with clay. Small seeds like beets, lettuce, spinach, benefit from being covered with a looser mix. Yesteryear many folks used sand, but growing mix or compost should work well. Larger seed like beans, corn, squash, it is not necessary.

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