How to Loosen & Improve Hard or Compacted Soil

We look at compacted soils and how to loosen and improve them. Compacted soils are those that are hard, and this can be caused by foot and car traffic, over tilling and other factors. What happens is that the soil particles are pushed further together, the amount of air in the soil is reduced and the productivity of the soil decreases.

Soil compactions inhibits water retention, microbial activity and this impairs the growth of plants.

A few simple tricks can help loosen and make long term improvements to compacted soils including additives and amendments to help improve soil structure.

Soil Amendments to use with compacted soils include :

[myviewsu]

Thank you for showing how to improve compact soil around plant.

[lisas]

I bought some liquid clay breaker and in some parts of my garden bed the soil is more crumbly after a week, I also added compost and manure so that the top of the clay soil didn't dry out

[evelynforever]

How long does it take for the soil to get better? I have very compacted soil where I would like to plant grass.

[neverlostforwords]

Thank you Johnny. This was very helpful. We have clay soil and I am forever adding compost and mulch but it tends to get eaten by worms and breaks down and mixes with the clay to form very wet soil. The garden bed is down the side and across the front of a 30 degree sloping front yard. So some of the higher parts are ok whereas others that are lower or in sinks get boggy. It is too late to put drainage in as all the plants are in and I am not removing them to add pipes. Any suggestions?

[kingjames]

rock minerals adds minerals... who'd have thunk.