Someone maligned clay soils, so I’m just going to copy over the response I put there, here. Many of us have clay soils, and when you treat them right, they can be awesome.
However, if you act like your clay soil isn’t one, you’re going to run into trouble, because of the number one most important thing to know about clay soils:
Do NOT work it when it’s wet. Other soils might be fine, but this is the best way to fuck up your soil if it’s clay. This because clay soil structure collapses when you dig or till it when it’s wet, creating hard, compacted clods of clay that are just horrible for gardening. They don’t have space for water or oxygen, and they’re very hard for roots of most crops to penetrate.
Beyond that, it’s best to add organic matter as a top dressing of compost, or as mulch, and let the soil biota work it into the soil over time, instead of digging or tilling it in.
That’s right, the easy choice is the correct choice this time!
Further, you can help your clay soil improve by sowing cover crops, and leaving their roots in place. Both of these work together to improve the texture & fertility of your soil. The soil biota make aggregates of soil particles and organic matter, increasing aeration and the ability of the soil to hold water.
