Some bulbous plants do not want to bloom on clay soil. To create favorable conditions for them, the soil must be loosened. To do this, you can use several methods.
I recommend reading: Rules for caring for tulips after flowering
Why is it not recommended to add sand to loosen the soil
Often, gardeners add sand to heavy soil. Still, this method is not useful. First of all, sand consists of larger particles than clay; therefore, after a while, the sand layer sinks deeper into the ground. As a result, the root system of plants is again in the clay.
So sand needs to be added annually during planting, which is why this method of loosening the soil is suitable for crops whose bulbs need to be dug out for the winter. In this case, when planting the bulbs, they are placed on the sand.
The third disadvantage of sand is that it lacks nutrients. As a result, after adding it to the flower bed, the soil becomes impoverished.
Effective methods of loosening clay soil
It is recommended to add organic matter to heavy soil: this material consists of larger particles that remain in the ground for a long time and facilitate the passage of air.
As organic matter, you can use:
- humus;
- rotted sawdust;
- matured compost.
Also, the soil can be changed by sowing some green manure. These grasses help loosen the soil with their roots, foliage and stems when buried in the soil. Siderata bring a double benefit: thanks to them, earthworms, as well as other beneficial microorganisms that help in loosening the earth, settle into the soil.
Methods for planting tulips in clay soil and subsequent care for them
Add compost or humus to the ground and mix very carefully. Sprinkle with sand on top. Then lay the tulip bulbs, sprinkle with soil mixed with organic matter, and water. Plant bulbs must be placed upside down.
After all, sow siderates on the planted onions. At the end of autumn, you need to mow the siderates and mulch the planting of tulips with the help of the stems.
This planting sequence must be performed annually, only then the soil will be softer and suitable for the cultivation of beautiful tulips and all bulbous plants.
Among other things, tulips planted on heavy soil require special care. It is necessary all the time to ensure that there is no stagnation of moisture in the flower garden. After watering or rainfall, a crust forms on the surface of the clay soil, which does not allow air to flow to the root system of the plants. However, moisture in the lower soil layers can evaporate quickly. To prevent this from happening, at the end of each watering, carefully loosen the soil.
During the period of spring cold snaps and unexpected recurrent frosts, the heavy earth cools quickly enough, which means that there is a risk of hypothermia of the root system, and the plant can get sick. During this period, the land should be watered as little as possible and should be mulched with dry organic matter, for example, black peat, because this material warms up perfectly in the sun.
Otherwise, caring for tulips cultivated on clay soil is exactly the same as for plants planted on nutritious soil.
Do you plant tulips?
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