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Grow with KARE: Selecting the best plants for clay soil

Building and maintaining good soil is an ideal scenario, but for those who live in an area where clay dominates, selecting the right flowers and plants is key.

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Building and maintaining good soil is one of the best strategies for a happy and healthy garden that thrives. 

If you have clay soil, that can be hard. Adding compost helps, but choosing plants that can tolerate clay soil is a big part of a successful garden strategy. 

Here are a few to consider.  

For spring blooms: Baptisia, hardy geranium, golden alexander and columbine are great choices.

Summer color: Daylilies, liatris, Russian sage, Common oxeye, coneflowers, black eyed Susan and bee balm. 

Late summer into fall:  New England aster and sedum.

No garden is complete without some grasses, and for clay soil Karl Forester and little bluestem are your best bets.

Lastly, when trying to decide on shrubs for clay soil, red-osier dogwood, black chokeberry, native honeysuckle and lilacs won’t let you down. 

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