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Flower Bed Question

1,292 Views | 13 Replies | Last: 1 day ago by B-1 83
robbio
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I have a flower bed that has almost zero moisture retention. Soil testing says it is Willacy Loam. I'm thinking about digging it all out and putting clay down and back filling. The problem is I have no clay so am considering using Kitty Litter. Thoughts? Recommendations?
AgResearch
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AG
Feral cats will love it!
B-1 83
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AG
Absolutely not. Sand + clay = concrete. If you want to "add" anything, add some good compost and mulch heavily. Your neighbors are about to provide bag after bag of leaves in a month or two (most neighborhoods, anyway), so take advantage of that for great mulch.
S.A. Aggie
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AG
Be sure you get compost that is free of bio solids. I know you're only doing a flower bed but just in case you want to expand to vegetable gardens check with the source to make sure there is no BS in them.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/02/texas-farmers-pfas-forever-chemicals-biosolids-fertilizer/
robbio
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Mulch etc. sounds good but it's not good enough. I have put trailer loads of composted city mulch in my garden as well as composted manure from the local feedlot. For the last 30 years or so I have used Oak leaves as mulch. The soil has plenty of organic material in it but won't retain water. Even the soil testing after all the amendments has confirmed that. But... thanks for the advice.
Animal Eight 84
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AG
One of my great joys in life is improving soil quality in my pastures and our gardens.
I was an Agronomy major.

Some steps to consider.

1. Try using a broad fork ( see link and photos below) to loosen the soil and roughly incorporate the existing compost and decayed mulch.
The soil around the house may have been severely compacted during construction.
I wouldn't till it unless it is severely compacted. Tilling tends to destroy soil structure in the long term, so try using a broadfork.

I bought a broad fork last year for flower beds & gardens and had great results, wish I had it years ago.
I planted about 20 small trees last year, each one had a ring of soil around the planting hole loosened with a broadfork. They grew like gangbusters.

2. Add a sack of dried molasses ( fodder soaked in molasses) to stimulate/feed microorganisms that will improve crumb structure of soil. Sprinkle it over the bed. Feed stores sell it as a livestock supplement, a brand name is sweet green. Costs about $30 for 50 pounds, I bought some last month at local feed store to add to raised garden beds.

3. If you plant annual flowering plants like petunias, delphiniums, zinnias, sunflowers etc, don't pull the old plants. Cut the tops and let the roots decay in the soil. They'll provide moisture channels and food for macro and microorganisms.

4. Do not step in the flowerbed when it's wet. It compacts the soil preventing infiltration of moisture and gases.

5. Wood based mulches can crust over preventing water infiltration, that is a common problem. If you can switch to using pine straw. It doesn't mat and looks good. Only drawback is flammability.

6. Compost has a high cation exchange capacity and high moisture retention so add a thin layer spring and fall to the surface.

7. Don't add more clay. Willacy Loams typically have 18% to 35% clay.
Willacy soils are fine textured and have moderate permeability.

Willacy Loam per NRCS ( formerly Soil Conservation Service).

Ap-=0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy
loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine
granular structure; slightly hard; friable; mildly alkaline;
abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)

Link to more detail on Willacy soils.
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WILLACY.html



Link to broadfork. Tread Lite is a great mom & pop American company that builds high quality tools that will last for generations. Cost is $185.

https://www.treadlitebroadforks.com/products/the-cultivator-broadfork-20-wide-5-tines?wickedsource=google&wickedid=EAIaIQobChMIzruk2LjTigMV5Hd_AB3jNRSvEAQYASABEgL_kfD_BwE&wickedid=&wcid=20583356770&wv=4&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADidSIlJoC6shhiQj7a3rQRGOjbwc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzruk2LjTigMV5Hd_AB3jNRSvEAQYASABEgL_kfD_BwE

Have fun, hope this helped.








flipper94
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AG
That's really cool. Great info too.
robbio
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In our Veterinary practice I can't go on lab results alone... I have to also take a look at the patient. Of course we're pretty dry in Nueces county and when it does rain it tends to come down all at once. This flower bed of mine has had a drip irrigation system on it.... 20 minutes three times weekly. I adjusted it to water for one hour three times weekly with poor results. My best watering system was to flood the bed periodically but the soil is so porous that it just wouldn't hold the water.

I've also learned in our practice that if the standard medications aren't working we should try something else. So today I dug down six inches and put down a layer of clay kitty litter. Hopefully the patient will thrive but who knows... we'll find out.




robbio
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You might be interested in my experiences with growing Avocados.

https://parkwaychurchnews.blogspot.com/2018/12/growing-christians_23.html

B-1 83
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AG
robbio said:

In our Veterinary practice I can't go on lab results alone... I have to also take a look at the patient. Of course we're pretty dry in Nueces county and when it does rain it tends to come down all at once. This flower bed of mine has had a drip irrigation system on it.... 20 minutes three times weekly. I adjusted it to water for one hour three times weekly with poor results. My best watering system was to flood the bed periodically but the soil is so porous that it just wouldn't hold the water.

I've also learned in our practice that if the standard medications aren't working we should try something else. So today I dug down six inches and put down a layer of clay kitty litter. Hopefully the patient will thrive but who knows... we'll find out.





Let me and the other agronomists know how this turns out. Come to Calallen sometime and I'll show you how to get 5% organic matter into that soil and never till it (5% is insane for this region and climate).
Being in TexAgs jail changes a man……..no, not really
robbio
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Doesn't organic material decompose and turn into minerals? I'm in Calallen.
birddog7000
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AG
Organic matter >>> Clay for moisture retention.

You might have a salt problem, which could cause your water retention issue.
DoitBest
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S
I thought adding in expanded shale would help with the water retention..
B-1 83
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AG
robbio said:

Doesn't organic material decompose and turn into minerals? I'm in Calallen.
That's why you keep a constant supply churning through year after year. My garden gets 2 or three coverings in leaves 8-10 inches deep each year and my flower beds get the same. In a few months they're gone - microbiology and earthworms doing work.
Being in TexAgs jail changes a man……..no, not really
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