How to Mulch Clay With Gypsum & Pea Gravel

Vegetable and flower gardens require hard work, soil amendment, tilling, weeding and maintenance for survival. This work becomes even harder for gardeners with thick, tight clay soil, which nourishes plants but also binds their roots to restrict growth. Clay forms a crust when wet and impedes seed growth. Use gypsum and organic compost to nourish and loosen garden soil before planting and maintain the schedule to break down the clay over time.

Spade
Garden fork
Organic compost
Gypsum
Fertilizer
Pea gravel

Instructions

- 1
  Amend garden soil before any new planting. Dig into the top 10 inches of natural soil, using the spade or garden fork to loosen it for amending and growing. Turn under any crusting on the soil surface.
- 2
  Lay 5 inches of organic compost over the site and turn it into the tilled soil to attain an equal mixture of compost and clay. This step not only loosens the clay for drainage and root growth, it adds more nutrition and moisture retention to the soil.
- 3
  Lay gypsum over the amended soil at a rate of 20 lbs. per 100 square feet. Add 13-13-13 granular fertilizer at manufacturer-recommended rates. Turn the gypsum and fertilizer into tilled soil to give gypsum access to the clay. Over time, gypsum breaks down clay at the cellular level to loosen it. Gypsum also adds calcium to the soil for better root growth. Balanced fertilizer adds nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium for nutrition.
- 4
  Lay a half inch of gypsum on top of the soil to prevent crusting. Plant as usual.
- 5
  Lay 1 to 2 inches of pea gravel over the soil around your plantings. Pea gravel mulch keeps soil warm and moist, allowing the gypsum to break down the clay without interruption.

Yellow Balls in Soil

Void Ratio of Soil

Soil