How Do You Break Up Hard Clay Soil

You can begin, on a small scale, to improve the soil by working in lots of compost or other organic matter. Choose flower or vegetable beds that you want to plant this year and spread a three or four inch layer of mulch on top. Work it in to a depth of at least six inches, deeper if you can. Continue to do this year after year to help "fluff" up the soil. If you start small, in beds you plan to use immediately, you can spread your soil improvement efforts throughout the yard over several growing season.

Persistence will pay off and eventually you'll have a loamy-type soil that will drain well yet hold important nutrients and moisture. To improve your soil, you'll need to add 6 to 8 inches of organic matter to the entire bed. Grass clippings (as long as they haven't been treated with chemicals), shredded leaves, rotted manure, and compost are all perfect choices. The organic matter needs to be mixed into the top 6 to 12 inches of soil.

Digging it in and mixing it with a shovel is a great way to do this, as it moves a lot of earth without pulverizing the soil particles the way tilling can. However, if digging is just too hard on your back, using a tiller is a fine method. Organic matter in soil serves as food for earthworms, insects, bacteria and fungi-they transform it to soil nutrients and humus. Through this decomposition process, materials are made available as foods to growing plants. In finely textured clay soils, organic material creates aggregates of the soil particles, improving drainage and making it easier to work.

Earthworms are especially helpful in making and keeping soil porous and well draining, said Brewer. Cover crops, also called green manure crops, help loosen clay or compacted soils with their roots and by adding organic matter. They also prevent nutrient loss and erosion during the non-growing season.

Leguminous cover crops, such as winter rye, alfalfa, hairy vetch and clover, which add nitrogen to the soil, are usually planted at the end of summer or early fall. Over the years of gardening and landscaping on this property, we continually had to battle the clay soils. Best is to add organic matter, particularly compost. Be sure and add when your clay soil is dry, as working in wet clay is not only quite messy but will compact it even further. Peat moss is sometimes recommended as an addition, but this breaks down quickly in wet and clay soils, and can create an undesirable bog. As an aside, glomalin also benefits the soil, and earth in general, by storing carbon.

Along with adding compost, a second strategy for adding organic matter to my clay soil is cover cropping. I plant cover crops any time the beds in my garden would otherwise be unplanted or fallow. Fallow periods provide little additional organic biomass while allowing the decomposition of organic matter in the soil to continue. Cover crops provide me with a variety of services. They contribute to the improvements in soil structure that I described earlier.

And they can smother weeds and even suppress weed seed germination. Many cover crops will also suppress pathogenic nematodes, for example root knot nematode. During the initial, pre-garden phase of my soil improvement plan, I managed to break up 10 inches of hard-packed clay with endless swings of my trusty mattock. I spread compost over the surface of the beds an inch at a time and rototilled it in.

How To Break Up Hard Clay Soil I was careful not to work the clay when it was too wet, because clay worked wet can result in some tenacious clods, very reluctant in their willingness to ever come apart again. I tried to work the compost deep into the soil, and along with it, I added lime and phosphorus, the clay soil in my garden needing both. When surface-applied, neither of these materials moves down through the soil, so incorporation to ample depth is very important to permit roots to grow into the subsoil. After 3 to 4 inches of compost, I had the "raised bed" I wanted. Bark, sawdust, manure, leaf mold, compost and peat moss are among the organic amendments commonly used to improve clay soil.

Two or three inches of organic materials should be spread and rototilled, forked or dug into the top six or seven inches of your garden beds. Amend clay soil by adding plenty of organic material, such as well-aged compost, sawdust (but not from pressure-treated wood), composted manure or leaf mould . For example, when making a new bed, spread several inches of organic material over the area and dig it in at least eight inches deep. When moving or adding new perennials to an existing bed, throw a shovelful of compost into the planting hole.

Following any of these treatments applying 6X in early spring gets your garden off to the perfect start for the season. 6X is a well-known and well-loved alternative to traditional farmyard manure which takes a lot of the effort out of spreading manure on the garden. One 15kg sack is equivalent to six or more sacks of traditional bagged farmyard manure and treats up to 184 sq metres . While working with clay is tough on gardeners, the biggest issue for plants is the slow drainage. Improving its structure improves drainage; planting in raised beds made with good soil also helps. With careful management and generous additions of organic material, clay soil will improve over time — lots of time.

The soil will become more workable, but expect to spend a few years amending clay before you notice an appreciable difference. Common soil amendments include compost, grass clippings, straw, shredded leaves, rotted manure and dried seaweed. Walking on your lawn or garden when its wet is a common cause. Heavy, beating rains also drive clay particles together. Salts from fertilizers and winter de-icing solutions build up in heavy clay as well. Some people claim you can loosen clay by adding gypsum to it.

The theory is that gypsum binds clay particles together to make bigger particles, providing more space for air, water, and roots. While this works to some extent, adding gypsum alone isn't enough for most gardens. The best way to loosen and improve clay soil is by adding lots of organic matter. You will need to work at it over the years by repeating the process though. Baked clay is almost impossible to break up, rotivate or dig, it's easier to spread the organic matter and grit and wait until the worms have done some of the work for you. You'll get a variety of answers but here's my contribution!

IMO the most important thing to add to clay soil is organic matter - garden compost, well rotted manure, composted bark, mushroom compost etc. Adding grit, gravel or sand just seems to make the clay gritty but doesn't contribute to the "workability" of the soil, in my experience. Another method to increase organic matter in clay soils is with cover crops. These are crops planted as you prepare beds, for a season or year prior, or in fallow periods between annual crops such as flowers and vegetables.

They consist of small grains and grasses like buckwheat, ryegrass, and oats. Legumes, such as clover, also benefit by "fixing" nitrogen from the air for use in the soil. Cover crops have additional benefits such as suppression of many weeds.

Surprisingly often, people imagine that the proper way to improve dense, clay soil is to add the opposite kind of mineral material—sand. After all, loamy soils, viewed as ideal garden soil, are a mixture of sand and clay. Unfortunately, when sand is added directly to clay, the result is something that more accurately resembles concrete. The reason loamy soils are great for plants is that they have a large ratio of organic material in them as a foundation for the sand and clay.

Without lots of organic material, clay plus sand equals an awful garden. Clay soils are best improved with the addition of compost and other organic materials only. Heavyclay and loosening compacted soil by changing the particle size.

Gypsum will improve heavy clay while also removing sodium from saline rich soil, exchanging sodium for calcium. Gypsum is not ideal for every situation though, such as clay layered with coarse soil types. Make sure to take note of the clay type before adding gypsum. Gypsum must be tilled in or mixed with soil when added to the planting hole; a topical application will have little effect. It is highly recommended to add a fertilizer or amendment with beneficial mycorrhizal 3-6 months after using gypsum to repair any damage.

Compaction is most likely to occur with heavier soils like clay and loam, but when heavy equipment is used, sandy soils can become compacted. These are soil particles that are packed closely together. The problem may be compounded by events that have happened to the soil over the course of years. The pore spaces are reduced to the point that air and water cannot move freely and plant roots cannot grow easily into the surrounding soil. The soil could remain overly wet longer than is healthy for the plants growing there.

Commercial products, such as ClayMend, are also available to amend clay soil by introducing beneficial soil microbes and supplying them with nutrients. The company states that a blend of organic acids gathers ultra-fine clay particles and then microbes work to secure them together. This process opens the soil, allowing it to breathe. The beneficial microbial activity increases and plant roots are able to establish themselves in the restructured soil.

Nutrients that have been locked away become free to be attached to the organic material and the clay structures for easy access by the plant roots. However, major losses in soil organic matter content can take place when the soil is inverted or mixed annually by tillage. Extensive tillage stimulates microbial activity , and the consumption of mass quantities of organic matter ensues.

After your clay soil becomes more friable and you have provided a deep root zone for your garden plants, you should consider reducing tillage. Because the soil remains undisturbed, fertilizers and other soil amendments do not become homogenized in the tillage layer. Plant feeder roots, therefore, tend to proliferate in the top 2 inches of fertile topsoil.

Clay soil is both the best and the worst soil you can have. It is more fertile than sandy soil, but it drains slowly, is difficult to dig into and it does not allow roots to easily grow into it. Physically breaking up clay soil will only work until the first rain, when it compacts down again.

You need to both break it up and add organic matter for the soil to maintain its newly lightened texture. For best results, break up and amend the soil at least two weeks before planting. By aerating your clay soil and adding an amendment, you can break it down fast and encourage new growth. Wait until the ground's completely wet or dry, since it'll be harder to work with soil that's partially damp.

Then, turn your soil by digging up small amounts where you want to put plants to aerate it. Once you've turned the soil, mix in an amendment, like compost, biochar, manure, or a commercial soil conditioner, to add some extra nutrients. If your plants still struggle to grow, lay an extra layer of topsoil over the clay. Mulching – Clay soils can tend to speed water runoff because water isn't absorbed as quickly into clay soils as it is other soils. Clay soils also tends to stick to the bottoms of your shoes, which can make a mess when you go indoors. By adding a layer of mulch to clay soil, you not only help keep the house clean, but can reduce the number of weeds that sprout.

As mulch decomposes,it will enhance nutrition and water retention, which ultimately allows for better plant growth. Mulch will slow down water run-off allowing clay soil more time to absorb, and store, water. A layer of mulch is also cooler than exposed soil which helps to reduce temperatures overall in the garden. Mulch takes years to break down, but over time the organic material filters through the soil, breaking up clay particles and creating a blended soil with lots of organic material. Make sure not to choke the crown of the plants- a mulch application of 3"-4" over the whole planting bed is ideal.

Gypsum is easily applied to the soil surface with a regular lawn spreader. It's an ideal amendment for improving soil structure and relieving compaction in existing lawns and gardens. Clay consists of minute mineral particles that tend to cling tightly together. Because there are lots of them they have a big surface area which efficiently hangs on to water and nutrients. Soils with larger particles have more air space and allow the passage of water more freely. So if you can make the soil particles in a clay soil larger you improve drainage and the texture.

You can't really overdo the amount of compost added to clay soils. For a lawn and landscape that is a quarter acre, just increasing the soil organic matter from 2 to 3 percent would take 5000 pounds of an amendment! Don't get discouraged by this, as adding some is better than none. You can add organic matter over time, and you can deal with small areas or beds at a time. If you have a local compost facility, check to see if you can have a bulk load delivered.

This is cheaper overall and avoids having dozens of plastic bags to dispose of. Your soil test or extension agent can help you determine the right amount of organic matter for your soil. As a general rule, when possible, add a layer of 3 to 6 inches of organic matter on your soil before planting, and work it down into the top 10 to 12 inches—where most roots grow. In following years, build on your efforts by adding 1 to 3 inches of organic mulch as a topdressing each year.1 As it decomposes, it continues to gradually improve clay soil. Clay's potential as one of the best soil types for plant growth lies in its unique properties. Managed well, clay soil typically requires less irrigation and less fertilizer, and leads to healthier plants all around.

Adding top soil and tilling in is great advice but a big job for two acres. Sand or gypsum tilled in helps break up clay and again is a big job on two acres. If the time and budget allows those are your best options.

Spend your summer getting the grade the way you want and plant a cover crop this fall. It is a bit late to do it now with the Southern summer on us. In the early spring till under the cover crop, or green manure, to add some organic matter to the clay. That will get you started on developing some top soil and have you ready for spring seeding.

Should I Wait For Windows 11 Update Or Download

He also acknowledged the expansion of Microsoft Store to include more "traditional" desktop applications. If your existing Windows 10 PC is running Windows 10 20H1 or later and meets the minimum hardware specificationsit will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. The upgrade rollout plan is still being finalized, but for most devices already in use today, we expect it to be ready sometime in early 2022.

Not all Windows 10 PCs that are eligible to upgrade will be offered to upgrade at the same time. To see if your PC is eligible to upgrade, refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems. Once the upgrade rollout has started, you can check if it is ready for your device by going to Settings/Windows Updates. Similar to how end users are notified when updates are available in Windows 10, end users will see an indication in the notification areas of the taskbar in the bottom right, that the upgrade is available. More information on how that is presented will be available at a later date.

Additional desktop notification options may be also be added at a later date. Original equipment manufacturers can still ship computers without a TPM 2.0 coprocessor upon Microsoft's approval. Some third-party software may refuse to run on unsupported configurations of Windows 11. The official, release version of Windows 11 is now available as a free upgrade to anyone who has Windows 10 and a PC that meets Microsoft's minimum hardware requirements.

However, the Redmond software giant isn't pushing the upgrade to every eligible system at once. Some users will be offered the option to upgrade in their Settings menu on or around the October 5th official launch date while others may be waiting until 2022. In October 2019, Microsoft announced "Windows 10X", a future edition of Windows 10 designed exclusively for dual-touchscreen devices such as the then-upcoming Surface Neo. Legacy Windows applications would also be required to run in "containers" to ensure performance and power optimization.

Microsoft stated that it planned to release Windows 10X devices by the end of 2020. Internet Explorer has been replaced by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge as the default web browser, and Microsoft Teams is integrated into the Windows shell. Microsoft also announced plans to allow more flexibility in software that can be distributed via Microsoft Store, and to support Android apps on Windows 11 . With Windows 11, we are focused on increasing security, improving reliability, and ensuring compatibility. Needless to say, millions of Windows 10 computers that do not meet these requirements will not be receiving the Windows 11 update.

This means that users might be adversely affected by security flaws in the absence of drivers and security updates. As part of the minimum system requirements, Windows 11 only runs on devices with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 security coprocessor. According to Microsoft, the TPM 2.0 coprocessor is a "critical building block" for protection against firmware and hardware attacks. In addition, Microsoft now requires devices with Windows 11 to include virtualization-based security , hypervisor-protected code integrity , and Secure Boot built-in and enabled by default.

The operating system also features hardware-enforced stack protection for supported Intel and AMD processors for protection against zero-day exploits. If you are facing an error along the lines of "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements to install Windows 11" on the PC Health Check app, fret not, there is still a workaround and it works well. In this method, you will have to create a bootable USB and manually install Windows 11. It will only wipe the C drive, including files and programs stored within the C drive, and not touch other partitions.

For new users, Windows 11 will seem like a good option with the new design. You get rounded corners, a departure from the sharp edges we've seen in Windows for a long time. The Start Menu is now cleaner, featuring pinned apps and a recommended tab that shows you files based on your recent usage. The desktop more or less stays the same, but the right-click menu gets a simplified look, with the most common options like cut, copy, paste, and rename, at the top in a grid.

At least 16GB of RAM The basic system requirements of Windows 11 differ significantly from Windows 10. Windows 11 only supports 64-bit systems such as those using an x86-64 or ARM64 processor; IA-32 processors are no longer supported. Thus, Windows 11 is the first ever consumer version of Windows not to support 32-bit processors and 16-bit software .

The minimum RAM and storage requirements were also increased; Windows 11 now requires at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. S mode is only supported for the Home edition of Windows 11. The compatibility list includes the Intel Core i7-7820HQ, a seventh-generation processor used by the Surface Studio 2, although only on devices that shipped with DCH-based drivers. Windows 11 SE was announced on November 9, 2021, as an edition exclusively for low-end devices sold in the education market, and a successor to Windows 10 S. It is bundled with applications such as Microsoft Office for Microsoft 365, Minecraft Education Edition, and Flipgrid, while OneDrive is used to save files by default. Windows 11 SE does not include Microsoft Store; third-party software is provisioned or installed by administrators.

Windows 11, the first major Windows release since 2015, builds upon its predecessor by revamping the user interface to follow Microsoft's new Fluent Design guidelines. The redesign, which focuses on ease of use and flexibility, comes alongside new productivity and social features and updates to security and accessibility, addressing some of the deficiencies of Windows 10. Citing security considerations, the system requirements for Windows 11 were increased over Windows 10. While the OS can be installed on unsupported processors, Microsoft does not guarantee the availability of updates. Windows 11 also drops support for 32-bit x86 CPUs and devices which use BIOS firmware.

As we release to Windows Insiders and partner with our OEMs, we will test to identify devices running on Intel 7th generation and AMD Zen 1 that may meet our principles. We're committed to sharing updates with you on the results of our testing over time, as well as sharing additional technical blogs. The "windows insider" page says that my pc doesn't meet the minimum requirements for windows 11 but still i can still install the update through dev channel, so should i still install it? Btw also checked the official microsoft website and it says that i need to be degrading back to w10. So if possible please tell us how to revert back to windows 10 from 11.

Not everyone wants to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 mainly because of unknown installation errors and slow performance due to carried-over files. So if you are an advanced user and want to clean install Windows 11 on your PC, we need to get back to the bootable method. Note that, by clean install, I don't mean erasing all of your partitions and files. This method will only wipe the C drive, including files and programs stored within the C drive. Once the installation is complete, you should find all of your files and applications in the same place you left them before the update. Some may sport a new look (those rounded edges on apps and folders look nice, don't they?) but everything should function as you remember.

It's not imperative that you upgrade your system to Windows in the next couple of weeks, or even months. For many people, that's about the time to upgrade to a newer device, one that will come with Windows 11 already installed. You can refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems to determine if your device eligible to upgrade to Windows -11. Many PCs that are less than four years old will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. They must be running 20H1 or later version of Windows 10 and meet the minimum hardware requirements to receive the Windows 11 upgrade.

What you need and don't need is up to you, of course, and the best thing you can do is go through your list of apps and see if you find them useful. Open the Start menu and clickAll apps to see everything that's installed on your PC. If you see an app you don't recognize, you can open it to see if it's worth anything to you, and then keep it or uninstall it. To uninstall an app, right-click it and select Uninstall.

If the app is available and updated through the Microsoft Store, it will be uninstalled right away. If it's a "classic" app from outside of the store, you'll be taken to the Control Panel, and there you have to select the app again and click Uninstall. The short answer is no, Microsoft isn't going to force anyone to upgrade to Windows 11. Starting with Windows 10 version 1903, the Redmond firm stopped forcing people to install feature updates. This came after a disastrous Windows 10 version 1809 that actually deleted some users' files. If the Microsoft Surface family of products isn't your style though, other brands like Dell, Asus and HP have all released pages online that specify what devices are Windows 11 ready.

Note that many won't come with the new operating system installed, but as they all meet the minimum system requirements, you can simply buy the laptop or 2-in-1 as normal and then update it yourself. Updating your PC from one Windows 10 version to another typically offers you security updates, bug fixes, and new features, justifying the hassle. You don't really have the freedom to opt out of a Windows 10 update, either—you can only delay it for a short time. Microsoft says that it will support Windows 10 until 2025, giving you the option to remain on it for a few more years before it goes end-of-life.

Windows 11 is now available as a free upgrade for computers already running Windows 10 that meet the minimum system requirements, and it is also available pre-installed on many branded devices. However, the rollout will be phased and controlled to provide a good upgrade experience, which means that it'll take months before the new version reaches every device. Devices that do not meet the minimum system requirements will remain on Windows 10 and continue to be supported with security updates. Customers using long term service releases will continue to be supported through the published end of support dates. For more information about Windows 10 support, see HP products tested with Windows 10. (Pocket-lint) - Windows 11 is now rolling out as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users.

That means you should be able to download and use Windows 11 right now - as long as your PC meets the minimum system requirements. The quickest way to get the latest version of Windows from Microsoft is to download the operating system update over the air for free, or you can go the more expensive route and buy a new Windows PC or laptop. If you right-click on the taskbar, you now see just one option that lets you enter the taskbar settings, instead of the plethora of options in previous versions of Windows. However, this means you cannot reposition the taskbar to either side or the top of your screen anymore with Windows 11, which is kind of a bummer.

The Start button follows all the new design fundamentals of Windows 11 with rounded corners, colourful icons, pinned apps, and a huge search bar. The search button feels more useful and responsive compared to Windows 10's version. If you hover over the icon, it will show you your most recent searches, which could save you some time.

The Start Menu has been redesigned to list all of your apps in a more systematic and organized manner, and you can of course pin apps that you use frequently. There's a Recommended section, wherein you can find recently accessed files and folders. The Start Menu has been designed to be consistent with the frosted glass theme that you'll see throughout Windows 11, and it looks good. These were the animated squares you could see whenever you opened the Start menu in Windows 10.

They were implemented to show you live updates for apps such as Weather, Calendar, etc, but that functionality has been moved elsewhere – more on that later. After the announcement of the launch of Windows 11, there was a lot of fuss about the devices that could support it. Windows 11 officially requires a Trusted Platform Module 2.0, UEFI, and Secure Boot in order to run on a machine, and if yours doesn't meet those requirements, you will not be able to install it. The easiest way to check whether your hardware is eligible is by installing Microsoft's own PC Health Check application.

Once that's done, you should also head to Windows Update in the new Settings app and check for updates there to ensure you have the latest drivers designed for Windows 11. If, for whatever reason, you're not enjoying the Windows 11 experience, you can quickly switch back to Windows 10 without much hassle. This isn't a must-have upgrade yet, so you can ride out the launch on Windows 10 for a while.If you've installed Windows 11 in the past ten days, you can easily rollback to Windows 10. If you know your PC meets the requirements for a Windows 11 install, but you don't see the upgrade option in your "Update & Security" menu, don't fret. You can still install Windows 11 — Microsoft just hasn't rolled out the update option to you just yet.

Upgrades to Windows 11 will begin to roll out late in 2021 and continue into 2022. During this time, we will be doing some behind the scenes testing and validating for your specific PC. Windows Update will provide an indication if and when your PC is eligible. You can check to see by going to Settings/Windows Update.

Next, Microsoft says it will look at hardware eligibility, reliability metrics and other factors on existing Windows 10 devices to determine when to offer the latest OS through Windows Update. It's a similar approach to how the company has handled Windows 10 feature updates over the years. You can find out whether your device is compatible using the PC Health Check app. If you have a computer with unsupported hardware, you should not try to upgrade to Windows 11. Although there are workarounds to bypass the TPM 2.0 and other checks, if you manage to install version 21H2, the device will state in an unsupported state.

According to Microsoft, devices are likely to experience more crashes, you won't get the support of any kind, and updates are not guaranteed. There is a way to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, but we wouldn't recommend it. Although Microsoft hasn't confirmed it, the company has heavily implied that unsupported users won't receive critical security updates. If you still want to install, you can do so using the Media Creation Tool, which bypasses hardware checks. If you meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, Microsoft will offer you a free upgrade option through a normal feature update. This was made clear with the launch of Windows 11 late in June.

The new version of Windows was introduced to a hearty reception among Windows users, with many praising several of its new features. Some highlights - a redesigned theme and appearance, new ways of multitasking, support for Android apps for the first time ever, as well as a whole new Microsoft Store. Microsoft Teams is similarly integrated with the taskbar, with a pop-up showing a list of recent conversations. In January 2021, it was reported that a job listing referring to a "sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows" had been posted by Microsoft. A visual refresh for Windows, developed under the codename "Sun Valley", was reportedly set to re-design the system's user interface.

Windows 10 updates take so long to complete because Microsoft is constantly adding larger files and features to them. The biggest updates, released in the spring and fall of every year, usually take upwards of four hours to install. Besides, it's also relevant to the small available space, hard drive fragments, software conflicts, and other factors.

The combination of these features has been shown to reduce malware by 60% on tested devices. To meet the principle, all Windows 11 supported CPUs have an embedded TPM, support secure boot, and support VBS and specific VBS capabilities. Microsoft has limited the number of devices that can officially run the latest version of Windows, with its restrictive hardware requirements.

Most of the latest laptops will support Windows 11, but you're probably out of luck if you built your own desktop PC or use anything more than around four years old. With that said, if your device supports Windows 11, there is no reason you should not upgrade. This will not erase any of your personal files and is similar to an OTA (over-the-air) update – however, it's always advisable to have backups. Similarly, you can create a bootable USB drive or a disk image to perform a clean install. Microsoft has finally updated the Windows Ink Workspace, now called the "Pen menu" that gives you quick access to pinned apps that are designed with inking in mind.