We have clay and rocky soil as we live on "glacial garbage" here on the north shore of Long Island. Even our beaches are rocky! Add in the shallow roots of the ancient Norway maples that ring our yard and you've got concrete, not soil.The best answer I've found in living here for over 40 years are raised bed, well mulched. I use hay when I can get it, bought compost when I cannot, or simply bought mulch. We use newspaper under all of that and it works pretty well. I also make seed-starter pots of newspaper - a little origami goes a long way to helping a garden and recycles our NY Times, getting the proverbial "two birds with one stone". I find after a spring such as we are having now with nor'easters galore, the soil does get a bit compacted with all the snow and sleet, but it's easy to rake it out - still doesn't need digging.
We have clay and rocky soil as we live on "glacial garbage" here on the north shore of Long Island. Even our beaches are rocky! Add in the shallow roots of the ancient Norway maples that ring our yard and you've got concrete, not soil.The best answer I've found in living here for over 40 years are raised bed, well mulched. I use hay when I can get it, bought compost when I cannot, or simply bought mulch. We use newspaper under all of that and it works pretty well. I also make seed-starter pots of newspaper - a little origami goes a long way to helping a garden and recycles our NY Times, getting the proverbial "two birds with one stone". I find after a spring such as we are having now with nor'easters galore, the soil does get a bit compacted with all the snow and sleet, but it's easy to rake it out - still doesn't need digging.