This Simple Gardening Trick Turns Poor Draining Soil Into Well Draining Soil! 

I added Gypsum and also planted plants that can handle clay soil

Thank you, for making this video. Your a great teacher!!!!

Very informative information Love and hugs from Pennsylvania Sincerly Melody

Yup here in Oakland everything turns yellow fruits drop when I water

Thank you. My problem is water runoff that Carrie’s the soil off. We live on top of a ridge.

Thanks! I needed this!!

Wow ,thank You so much 👍

Yep thanks

We live in west Tx, zone 8a, and our soil is mainly caliche (very compacted, rocky, sandy soil). Every spring we de-thatch and scarify with a SunJoe dethatcher. Then we put down a mixture of baby shampoo and water to break the surface tension of the soil so it can absorb water more readily. This practice has really helped our lawn, and it’s nice to know it can be used in the garden as well. This is my first year doing a vegetable garden, and I went with one raised bed and several containers to see if I could even grow a garden. I’ve been fairly successful so far so my hubby is going to build me 4 more raised beds in September once the weather cools off. Tx heat this year has been really bad!! I’m so looking forward to planting more things next spring in my raised beds! Tyfs ur knowledge with us! 😊

Thank you

Would citrus castille soap work, says it is plant based.

I have some espalier fruit trees, should I water down the line right under the branches down to under the tip of the branches , or should I water all around and a ways out in all directions where the branches dont extend? Hope I explained my self ok.

I have a dwarf Meyer lemon in ground already and think perhaps soil doesn’t have great drainage although water penetrated within a hour prior to my putting in tree two years ago. I have so many buds on this Meyer lemon but it’s looses its leaves in winter even with Xmas lights and frost cloth. In Arizona our yard is mulched with gravel lemon is no different. I applied some gypsum already fed it and used iron for colorists. What else can I do to keep improving my soil around lemon?

How do I do a soil test?

Is that ecos soap harmful to earthworms?

For clay soil, I would add sand to help drainage.

i tried many soil wetting agents over many years, and none of them work for more than a week or two, in my very dry summer climate. what i found that does work, and even better than surfactants, is a liberal addition of zeolite clay product, bought reasonably cheaply in bags as an oil spill mop-up compound. in 2nd year of testing, to see how long that bulk application lasts. so far the zeolite has not dissolved and washed away, to continue working.

Thank-you so much for sharing your knowledge. I live in the arid central valley area of CA and I look forward to your content because you understand the issues CA gardeners have. Blessings to you both!!

Ty for the tips Dan God Bless ✌🏼❤

I use sea sand with my clay soil. It has organic matter and helps soften soil and drainage. My soil is dark to light brown.

Super helpful tips as always. Thanks Dan 😊

Thanks, great ideas.

Help! I planted my new bonanza peach tree in a large planter 4 days ago. I didn’t see the print on the bag of soil that said “with compost and coir.” I mixed compost, worm castings, little bit of peat moss, bone and blood meals, & granular fertilizer in with the soil…The planter is barely draining. I’ve used this planter many times, it has 8 drainage holes, & is elevated so they’re not blocked. I’m afraid the soil just has too much “good stuff.” Is there anyway to correct my mistake without digging the tree (&surrounding flowers) out and starting over?

how often do you add gypsum to soil..monthly or during growing season? wht about sulfate?

Thank you for this helpful video! You mentioned liquid soap. Can I use pure Castile organic liquid unscented soap on my clay soil and compacted Coco Coir potting mix? I just bought a huge bottle of that. Thanks again for this very informative episode.

So I lost a tree last year from pour drainage, spots of clay in my garden bed. If I want to improve that spot for a future planting would I dig the hole, add gypsum, add compost and wait a season and check to see if the drainage has improved?

Great video I subscribed.. I’m having difficulty getting my raised bed to absorb and drain . I just put them in . I live in eastern Washington where the wind is terrible. It’s I also live in the driest city in the state we don’t get much rain. Also found out I placed my gardens on top of a graveled piece of property and found out there was a weed barrier underneath the rock. Now I’m not looking forward to digging out my vast raised beds to cut the rubber material away from the bottom errr. Live and learn. One more question I have voles really bad from the Apple orchard behind us. Also the farmer placed piles of apple tree wood up against my fence. A home for voles basically. They come into my lawn and eat the hell out of my grass and bulbs . I stomped all the little holes and trails down thinking they would get tired of burrowing through again but nope as soon as I stomp they come along again. I’ve tried red pepper powder and caster oil . Seems to help a bit but I think they have been here for years. We just moved in last end of summer of last year. The old owner put weed barrier in all the gardens and the vegetable area and gravel on top of all the areas I spoke of . I hate that who puts gravel in a garden and who puts barrier down. Hello people seeds land on top they don’t grow from the bottom of the barrier unless you don’t weed first. Lazy way of doing things if I don’t say so myself. Do not use that stuff use news papers our cardboard. You will never get rid of weeds. If you use the barrier it’s harder to weed the weeds out. Believe me I spent 8 hours on a 2 foot by two foot spot that had crabgrass. Any suggestions on the voles . I’m going to try the soap on my new dry dirt. I added compost to a raised bed dirt we bought that was on sale but I let it dry out bad idea on my part now I have a problem with it soaking and draining. Thanks for any tips and thanking you for the soap idea. Off to the gravel gardens I go.

Such an organized presentation, Prof Dan.

It makes water wetter

I am struggling with getting things to grow in Northeast Florida. I have poorly draining soil called Myakka. It is like swamp mud that stains. We have a high water table too. I am from southwest Florida where it was sandy with loam. This is more dark muck with some sand. So, I have to keep plants from root rot and so that they are able to breath in the ground. What might I use- perlite, gypsum? Thanks.

Hello Dan, love your video, can you please help me out, last week l removed the weed barrier and dig a hole approximately 2’x2’ to plant a hydrangeas, the soil is very compacted, and it takes hours to drain. I was thinking in mixing native soil with garden compost and aerate at the bottom of the hole. Please let me know what you think, thank you so much Cece

Hi, I’m from Australia and just looking for some information about soil. I have just joined a community garden and when I say I joined a community garden there’s no one else just me I think over Covid everyone does the bandit so I’m just trying to get it going. But the soil is very repellent of water And I’m just wondering what I can do I’ve planted some winter vegetables like we are now we are we are opposite seasons to you I know but I’ve planned a few things but when I water them and then after a couple of minutes I checked them it’s the water is only going down 1 cm half an inch doesn’t matter how much water I put on it it’s must be just leaking out the side door going down. I don’t know where the water is going but it’s not going to the plant so how can I fix this.?. I have another garden. I’m about to take all the tomatoes out of so I’m wondering should I plant for your green crop? I think it’s called a green crop or how can I fix the soil for future crops?

How many times and for how long should I apply the dish soap to my raised beds ?

Very useful information however the quiet music playing while you talk can make it hard to hear you.

Thank you

Thank you

Respect ✊

I love your videos, and I think Alice is the bomb! I feel like the microphone you're using now is too distracting though 🤔