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phanna62
Posts: 5
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Anyone know of a way to break up hardpan?
I have a small garden area under my kitchen window that I would like to landscape myself, but I am not able to dig deep enough to even put plants in.
I have put in some Kellogg's Amend, but that takes some time to see the effects of that.
I'm looking for something that can work quickly (if there is such a thing) so that I can get some plants out there.
Thanks for the help!
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Joe Nation
Posts: 11169
Location: New York. What about it?!?
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| Anyone know of a way to break up hardpan? |
Get a pick and a shovel and chop it all out of there. No, it's not easy.
Fill the area with topsoil, either borrowed from some place else on your land or brought in in bags from the store.
Joe(pick a cool day and start early.)Nation
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mismi
Posts: 13645
Location: well, I'm here right now...wait a second - no, I'm not
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Can you get railroad ties or landscape timbers and make a raised bed? Once again - quite a bit of work involved. But I've enjoyed mine.
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Green Witch
Posts: 5376
Location: In the woods.
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I agree with mismi. Build up, don't dig down. Make or buy compost.
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Noddy24
Posts: 27693
Location: Brave New World
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Earthworms and kitchen leavings.
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fishin
Posts: 9151
Location: Boston
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Not all hardpan is equeal. Without knowing the composition of it (or at least what area you are in) there isn't much option but to suggest a pick if breaking it up is your desire.
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roger
Posts: 14389
Location: Farmington, NM, USA
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For what it's worth, it usually forms in alkali soils. Do a ph test to see if you need to acidify.
I have actually aerated the stuff with a long carbide drill bit, and added gypsum. If it helped, you couldn't prove it by me.
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Noddy24
Posts: 27693
Location: Brave New World
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I've seen earthworms and kitchen garbage break up adobe clay--brick hard adobe clay--to the point where it could be dug with a kitchen spoon.
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neko nomad
Posts: 432
Location: usda zone 5b
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Over here, hardpan is reasonably workable after the spring thaw. at which time it's been softened by frost heave. I think that yours would be manageable with a sharp spade after giving it a good soak the day before, digging in small thin bites.
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farmerman
Posts: 18019
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desert pans are alkali, Eastern US pans are neutral to acidic (glacila derived "fragipans") most of these can be broken by digging the surface and growing seasonal rye or birdsfoot trefoil. These will send out long roots which add tilth. Thats why farmers plant cover crops in the North.
Then after one season, till the soil and there should be improved drainage/.
BTW , do you have a shallow perched water table?
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:03 am 
