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["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

Manure won't do a lot, but organic matter will help, though your best results will be using it as mulch.  Soil microflora and fauna will take it into the soil and their channels will will open the soil.  It may take a while, though, depending on the state of the soil.  A quick fix (for a while) is a heavy application of lime.  Calcium makes the clay particles flocculate (clump up) and helps open the soil.  
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
On Sep 1, 2006, at 6:47 PM, jerry sietsema wrote:

Greetings,Anyone have ideas on helping heavy soils drain better with manure applications?I have tiling 40 feet apart on heavy clay soil.My trees are still slowly dying.In the summer the ground gets like concrete and when it is wet the tractor gets stuck.I have my rows on raised beds but they seem to level out after about 5 years.I do some sub-soiling also.Will the manure help break apart the clay particles and allow more drainage?I think my % organic is o.k. but I see alot of red clay showing thru in several spots.It is hard to move the tiling over  once it is buried.          thanks ,skip s zone 5_______________________________________________
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