planting lilacs in clay soil
Your choice is only limited if your clay soil is also in shade. Since lilacs prefer good drainage, planting lilac bushes in slightly elevated areas is recommended whenever possible. Lilacs require a minimum of care. It’s prone to waterlogging in winter and cracking in summer, but it’s also nutritious and moisture retentive. Heaving can kill the plant. You can also improve its condition by adding organic compost. The more of these steps you can take, the more amazing your soil — and garden crops — will be. Depending on the variety, Sedums can be grown as ground covers, on the edges of rock gardens or as a middle of the border plant. Some are even tolerant of wet soils, including the rugosa group. Choose an area with plenty of afternoon sun and well-drained soil. But clay is healthier than sandy soil, that is why there is a good variety of plants that are perfect for the latter. They are also deer and rabbit resistant. Following are a number of things you can do to make your clay soil amazing. But the simple fact is that clay soil gets its bad rap because it’s hard on people - from a plant’s point of view, clay soil is usually not problematic at all. While the plants listed prefer or tolerate clay conditions, it’s always good to amend the soil with compost on a routine basis to provide nutrients for the plants. Correcting Clay Soil Problems. They seldom need Learn How to grow Lilac Shrubs, Growing Lilacs in containers, Lilac care, Suitable varieties of Lilacs and more about this shrub.Lilacs can be planted for the most easily in all Shrubs, for this it requires just a little care, a lot of sunlight, good drainage, and fertile soil. Here are our top plants for clay soil. Clay soil causes poor drainage and prevents plants roots from growing properly because of its density. They like dry, poorly-fertilized soil and actually prefer not to be watered too much. After the soil settles, the level around the plant should be even with the surrounding soil. And you can grow flowering shrubs in clay soil like: Weigela, Buddleja, Forsythia, Hydrangea, Chaenomeles (flowering quince) Roses are also good shrubs for clay especially if it has been improved with organic matter. plant in the fall to keep moisture in and to prevent heaving — the alternate freezing and thawing of soil. The growing zones and conditions listed are general. Clay soil can be heavy and hard to dig. 1: Contour the Land 10 plants for clay soil: Let’s look at how to transform that solid, waterlogged soil into a rich, loamy clay that is just right for planting. If planting more than one lilac bush, space them at least 5 feet (1.5 m.) apart to prevent overcrowding, even if you plan to use them as hedges for privacy. This generalized list is a starting point for finding plants for your clay soil garden. Clay soil is much maligned by gardeners and homeowners everywhere, and no wonder: it’s heavy, sticky, and difficult to work in. Caring for Lilacs. To get the best flowers and succeed in growing lilac bushes, you need to follow these easy rules: choose a proper site for your lilac with good drainage, good soil, good sun and provide good care. Full sun lovers, lilacs are easily grown in fertile, humus-rich, alkaline to neutral, dry to medium, well-drained soils. Growing in clay may take a bit more effort than when planting in loamy soil. Lilac Shrubs. Allow 6 feet or more between most lilac plantings. That way, you can grow more plants in clay. Which makes them perfect for growing in rock gardens, or in clay or sandy soil. It’s far better to grow plants that thrive in clay soil and the good news is that there are some great plants to choose from.