Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
The Best Trees to Plant in Clay Soil
The Best Trees to Plant in Clay Soil. Soil that contains a lot of clay is far from ideal when it comes to planting trees. Clay can be a problem for gardeners, landscapers and homeowners all over the country, but there are a variety of trees that can grow well in clay soils. There are also measures you can take to give your new trees the best chance...
Soil that contains a lot of clay is far from ideal when it comes to planting trees. Clay can be a problem for gardeners, landscapers and homeowners all over the country, but there are a variety of trees that can grow well in clay soils. There are also measures you can take to give your new trees the best chance of surviving.
Problems With Clay Soil
Clay soils tend to have poor drainage, meaning that water does not pass through them easily. This can be a problem for trees, because standing water can suffocate a tree's roots. Clay soil is also dense and compacts easily, making if difficult for the roots of a young tree to grow. In many cases, clay soil is also low in nutrients.
Planting Procedures
Rather than digging a hole large enough to accommodate the entire root ball of your young tree, till the soil and dig a shallow, saucer-shaped hole about half the depth of the tree's roots. Set the tree in the hole and cover over the root ball with a mixture of 2/3 native soil and 1/3 organic matter. Additional amendments and fertilizers will depend on your specific conditions. A soil test will tell you the pH and nutrient content of your soil.
Deciduous Trees
Deciduous trees are trees that shed their leaves in autumn and regrow them the following spring. A number of deciduous trees are well-suited to growing in clay soil. Silver maple, river birch, bur oak and shag-bark hickory are all good trees for clay, as are black ash, butternut, crab apple and elm.
Conifers
Conifers are evergreen trees that have needle-like leaves that stay green year-round. Fir trees like white fir and balsam fir are adapted to clay soil, along with spruce varieties like Norway spruce and Black Hills spruce. If you are looking for pine trees for clay soil, try Austrian pine, white pine, Scots pine or ponderosa pine.
