In the last article I talked about the advantages of clay lawn soil. I hope I presented a good case! Now, however, I need to talk to you about some of the disadvantages of clay lawn soil. I think you may see that some of the advantages are also disadvantages. Pretty cool how Mother Nature works isn’t it? So let’s look at clay lawn soil and talk about the negative side.

The biggest reason people don’t like clay lawn soil is the compaction that almost always occurs after the long, hot summer. Clay gets wet and pliable in the spring, and then dries out and hardens during summer heat. This is very similar to the process in which clay pots are formed by artisans. The moist clay is formed and then fired in an oven. The difference is that we are trying to grow some grass in our clay pots!

Another reason many people don’t like clay lawn soil is the fact that it does not drain well. If you have a low area in your lawn and it is primarily clay based, the water will be “standing” there for several days sometimes. Standing water presents lots of problems for the turf including root rot, fungal formation and crown degradation. In addition, standing water in the lawn becomes a breeding ground for biting insects like mosquitoes.

Lastly, clay soil does not contain any nutrients naturally. This means that you must fertilize a lawn that is clay based. If you don’t, your lawn will always be pale, thin and unhealthy. If you have a lawn that is growing in clay, you have to fertilize it regularly.

Can you see that I am playing both sides of the fence with you guys? The previous article talked about why clay soils are good, and now this one talks about why they are not so good… guess what is coming next?

One of the biggest myths I come across in my daily lawn care travels is the fact that clay soil is no good for growing a lawn. For some reason, many of you think that clay lawn soil is not fit for a beautiful patch of green turf. Guess what guys: this is completely false!

In all actuality, clay soil makes a great lawn base.

Why Choose Clay Lawn Soil?

First off, clay will not wash away easily during heavy rainstorms. Now, I know it gets sticky and all that, but truthfully, once you have thick turf growing in it, this is not an issue. The fact that it sticks together means that heavy downpours can’t push it out of your lawn and down the street.

In addition, clay lawn soil holds moisture quite well. If you have ever lived in an area that has primarily sandy soil, you will find that anytime you water the lawn, the moisture drains right on through below the grass root line. This is a bad situation. Clay soil, on the other hand, will hold the moisture for a longer period of time, making it available to the grass plant for sustained days. That is a BIG advantage!

Next, clay soil has a pH that is mostly neutral. Grass needs neutral pH in order to have the ability to take in nutrients like iron and nitrogen. If the pH is off to one end or the other, nutrients bind up and are unusable. If you have clay soil, then applications of pH conditioners are rarely necessary.

Finally, clay soils usually contain almost no nutrients naturally. That means you can really control what you apply to the lawn to a great degree. This makes fertilization very simple. Just apply 3/4 pound of nitrogen every 5-6 weeks and you should be good to go!

I hope you see now that clay soils are not all bad. Stay tuned, because in the next article, I am going to give you the flip side of the coin, and talk about the disadvantages of clay soils!