Make clay soil more permeable for lawns

Clay soil brings with it some problems. To him for race To be able to make it more permeable, it makes sense to loosen it up with aids and appropriate measures. We show how to do it.

Before sowing

If a new lawn is to be created, loosening the clay soil is easy and requires little effort - but it is particularly effective. The following utensils are necessary:

• shovel
• hoe
• Rake or rake
• if necessary an earth sieve
• Compost soil
• sand

If you have these items, the following steps should be taken:

1. The clay soil is dug about 30 centimeters deep. That corresponds roughly to the depth of a spade.
   
2. Foreign bodies such as stones, roots and other parts of the plant must be removed. An earth sieve, for example, can be used here. If you don't want to buy it yourself, you can borrow it from a hardware store.
   
3. After sieving, compost is worked into the loamy soil. At least three to five liters of well-ripened compost per square meter are necessary to achieve loosening.
   
4. In the case of a substrate with a particularly high proportion of clay, sand should also be introduced. However, it is sufficient for the lawn if it is worked two to five centimeters deep. This makes the top layer more permeable and water can drain off better. Waterlogging is avoided and nutrients can penetrate more easily.

Tip: A test to determine the pH value is offered on this occasion in order to be able to carry out a compensation through the appropriate fertilization if necessary. A corresponding test is available online, for example, in a hardware store.

Aerate the lawn

If there are already grass plants - by sowing or laying out turf - you have to proceed a little differently when loosening clay soil. The necessary utensils differ, of course, depending on the respective method:

• Scarifier
• sand
• Gritter
• spade
• gravel

The following steps are possible:

• Lay drainage: Drainage does not loosen the soil, but it still ensures faster and better drainage of the water. For this measure, a 20 to 30 centimeter deep trench is dug around the lawn. A final layer of gravel or chippings is poured into this trench. As a result, the water seeps into the ditch and does not remain on the surface. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the lawn is level or, at best, slopes outwards. If, on the other hand, there are hollows, drainage alone is not enough.
  
• Spread sand: A layer of sand on the lawn can slowly work its way into the soil and loosen it up in the process. The sand layer should be about two inches thick. It can be spread with a spreader to achieve an even distribution. It is ideal to apply the quartz sand only after mowing. The grass then grows through the layer. Aerator sandals help distribute the sand more quickly in the clay soil.
  
• Scarify the lawn: If the soil is only loamy on the surface, scarifying can be enough to ensure better water drainage. On the one hand, disturbing plants such as moss and weeds are removed. On the other hand, holes are made in the ground, which makes it easier for water to penetrate.

Tip: It is ideal to combine the various maintenance measures with one another. If the soil is very solid, it may also be necessary to remove it. Although this requires more effort, it is worthwhile in the medium and long term, as the lawn requires significantly less maintenance afterwards.

Ablation

If the lawn is so dry or even rotten, a lot of thatch has formed and there is waterlogging, it can be useful to remove the substrate from the surface. The individual steps are simple in themselves, but still require a comparatively large amount of effort. The advantage of this, however, is that it is easier to maintain afterwards. Water and nutrients penetrate more easily, the grass grows better and weeds and moss cannot spread as quickly. The following steps are necessary:

1. The upper layer of soil, including the grass plants, is removed 30 to 60 centimeters deep.
   
2. As with the preparation for sowing or laying out turf, the earth is cleared of foreign bodies and sifted.
   
3. Mixing in a lighter and loose soil and sand causes the substrate to become more permeable. In addition, nutrients are supplied directly, which means that the newly created lawn can grow faster and better.

As an alternative or in addition to the mixed soil, a drainage layer can be introduced. A layer of two to five centimeters is applied and the earth is only then distributed on top.

Tip: With larger lawns in particular, it makes sense to rent a mini excavator to remove it. Because the clay soil is difficult to dig up and the measure requires a lot of effort without a mini excavator - this applies to both the time and the force required.

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