How Do I Improve Soil Drainage In Soil That Is Basically An Even Split Sand And Clay?

Question

I live in the Mojave desert, so gardening is a pain already, but I got this massive plot that I wanted to turn into a massive garden recently. The soil is like concrete and has basically no organic matter, so I mixed in 2in of the Steer Manure Compost Mix from HomeDepot, and it resulted in some pretty nice soft dirt. The dirt never really has a lot of standing water on it, but after watering, the top layer stayed wet for 4 days despite 100F+ temps. I assume this is a drainage issue, but I don’t know how to fix it. I’ve only done 20sqft at the moment, and this is where I’d like my Mediterranean plants to be, so this wet is definitely bad. I plan on doing Japanese winter crops for most of the garden plot. How should I fix the soil for the desert perennials and Japanese plants? I’m also on a pretty tight budget, and the plot is 500sqft.

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Answer 1

There are many ways to do this, including adding compost, and manures. My preferred method is using earthworms!!! These creatures are the best when it comes to aerating and enriching soils. Here are some articles that will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/how-to-easily-improve-your-clay-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/aerating-your-lawn.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/worm-casting-mounds.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/aerating-your-lawn.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/why-does-soil-need-aerating.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/yard-drainage-problems.htm