Well, you see, I heard folks talkin’ ’bout shade plants for clay soil. My garden, it’s got that darn clay soil. Nothin’ much wants to grow in it, it’s so thick and sticky. Like tryin’ to plant in a mud pie. But I want some pretty things in the shade, you know?
So, I been askin’ around, and I heard some things that might work. You know that clay soil, it holds onto water like a miser holds onto his pennies. Some plants, they don’t like that. Their roots get all soggy and they just give up the ghost.
But some plants, they don’t mind the clay so much. I heard that things like them Lilacs, they can do okay. They got pretty flowers, smell real nice. And somethin’ called Ninebark. Never heard of it before, but they say it can handle that clay soil.
Then there’s Elderberry. You can make jelly outta them berries, you know. Good for what ails ya. And Forsythia, that’s the one with the yellow flowers real early in the spring. Brightens things up after a long winter. Some Dogwoods, too. They got them red branches that look nice even when the leaves are gone. Spruce, white pine and willows are all ok with the clay, too.
I also heard that some plants called Hostas like the shade, they have big leaves, I guess they do alright with clay soil, too. Then that bee balm, black-eyed Susans, daylilies and perennial asters, they are all good with clay.
Now, some of these plants, they need more sun than others. You gotta figure out how much shade you got in your garden. If it’s real dark, like under a big old tree, you gotta pick plants that don’t need much sun at all.
- Lilacs
- Ninebark
- Elderberry
- Forsythia
- Dogwoods
- Spruce
- White pine
- Willows
- Arborvitae
- Bee balm
- Black-eyed Susans
- Daylilies
- Hosta
- Perennial asters
If you have some part-shade, I also heard some trees are good for clay. Norway and silver maples, aspen, cottonwood, river birch, hawthorns, lindens, willows, and that funny-named one, ginkgos. I don’t know what a ginkgo is. And that Goat’s Beard thing, in the rose family they say, I suppose it can handle the clay, too. These shrubs like redtwig dogwood, snowberry, ninebark, forsythia, serviceberry are also good.
And that Big Bluestem, that’s some kind of grass, also good for clay. They say it likes dry places. Maybe I’ll try that one. Sounds tough, like me! This clay soil holds onto nutrients real good, too. It’s just that water, it don’t drain out so good. And it gets hard as a rock when it’s dry. Cracks open like the desert.
I heard one person say that adding compost to clay soil can help. Compost, that’s just rotted leaves and kitchen scraps and such. It makes the soil looser, helps the water drain better. I reckon I could try that. Got plenty of leaves in the fall.
You gotta work that compost in good, though. Just laying it on top ain’t gonna do much. You gotta mix it in with that clay soil, break up them big clumps. It’s hard work, but I ain’t afraid of a little hard work. I am getting old though, hope I can still do it.
Another thing I heard is to mulch around the plants. Mulch, that’s just like a blanket for the soil. You can use straw, or wood chips, or even shredded leaves. It helps keep the soil moist, and it keeps the weeds down, too. Weeds, they’re the devil’s work, I tell ya.
And you gotta water them plants, even if they can handle clay soil. Just ’cause they can survive in it don’t mean they don’t need a drink now and then. Especially when it’s hot and dry. You gotta water them deep, so the water gets down to the roots.
I reckon I’ll try some of these plants and see how they do. Maybe I’ll start with that Ninebark, and maybe some of them Hostas. I’ll see if I can find a spot for that Big Bluestem grass, too. It might take some time, but I’m patient. I ain’t got nothin’ but time these days, haha!
I sure hope I can get somethin’ pretty to grow in that shade plants for clay soil. It’d be nice to have a little color in that dark corner of the yard. I’ll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck, I think I really need it!
This clay is really hard to work with. But I heard these plants can do well in this soil. Hope they are right. I really want some beautiful flowers and trees in my yard. Will try my best to take care of them. They say clay soil is good for plants, it can keep the things plants need. I just need to water them often. I think I can do a good job.
