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["Gloria Morris" <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

Don, I am NOT an expert on Zone 9 gardening/farming (Zone 5 here). But I
wonder if annual rye grass would help your situation. Annual rye will grow
on poor, compacted soil. It puts down roots that grow up to 5 feet deep, and
one purpose it serves is to open soil back up after it has been compacted by
tractors. It germinates quickly, so a late planting should grow for you. It
might be worth investigating. Good luck! And wow, am I glad I don't have
soil like that to work with!!!!!!!

Gloria


On 8/12/07, Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> I am looking for suggestions for soil building cover crops.  The soil is
> mostly adobe clay with no organic matter.  It is the top of some fill
> which
> came from the middle of a cut.  It is so hard and packed that in order to
> dig trenches for a water line I had to start with a soaker hose then dig
> about a couple of inches, repeat, rinse.  Some areas resisted even that
> and
> required a heavy pick.
>
> I am looking for something to plant in the next few weeks that has deep
> roots and likes poor soil.  If it can grow in well into a Zone 9 fall and
> winter, so much the better.  The idea is to get something to start
> breaking
> up the soil and allow other nutrients to reach deeper.
>
>
> Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
> http://www.braingarage.com
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