The Dirt

Frightful soil for a frightful Halloween!

Click here to enlarge this photo.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

It’s a wonder I ever got into gardening. This is what the soil looked like where I grew up in southwestern Virginia. Bright red clay. Hard as a rock when dry, sink-up-to-your-ankles squishy when wet. It would stain everything—shoes, foundations, carpets… But look around, and you’d notice that it’s reflected by so many things in the surrounding woods. The rusty rooftop of an old homestead, new spring growth, and fallen leaves. And then it’s not so ugly after all.

Got any tips for gardening in soil like this? Comment below! I’m sure there are lots of people struggling with clay just like this in their own gardens.

Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

See all newsletters

View Comments

Comments

GenevieveS 10/27/2010
Wow! I'm grateful for my shocking almost-two-feet of topsoil! That is insane.

But you're totally right, when a color is reflected in the surroundings and landscape, it does take on a beauty of its own.
sweetrebecca 10/27/2010
My parents live in Auburn, CA where the soil is as red as this - and I'm with you. I used to hate it, but have grown to love it as it's truly beautiful with the surrounding oaks and fall's beautiful colors. 'Sense of Terroir' at its finest!
ncgardener 10/31/2010
Compost, compost and then, oh yeah more compost. I am working with Carolina clay and construction hardpan so I feel your pain. It is pretty to look at but trying to turn it into working soil is a lot of work. Maybe raised beds or containers. Or bricks?
amanda4973 11/10/2010
Native plants? That's not a very valuable answer, is it?

I'd amend the soil with yearly compost, manure, mulch ... something you layer on top. If I were to move to that area, I'd probably send the state agricultural university a soil sample and follow the advice in the test results, because, my gosh, that's so different from our Pacific Northwestern soil. It must need different amendments.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

The Latest

Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 163: Tough-As-Nails Plants

It’s late July and we’re officially HOT. And so are our gardens. Now is the time that we start to truly sit up and take notice of the plants that…

Design

8 Inspired Drought-Tolerant Plant Combinations for a Water-Wise Landscape

Drought-tolerant plant combinations don’t need to be dry and boring. Xeriscaping, or designing a landscape to use as little water as possible, can be done while still maintaining a beautiful…

How-To

What's the Best Mulch for Veggies? Pros and Cons to 6 Types of Mulch

Let’s face it: Mulching isn’t a glamorous job. It’s dusty, dirty, and can be downright backbreaking. But despite all the effort involved in the task, mulching your vegetable garden properly…

Design

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping—not because you’re likely to trip on something, but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair…