Don’t make hellebores too happy

Q: I am new to red clay and what can be planted directly, with no amendments, or with amendments. I have two hellebores in pots. I’d like to find the perfect place to plant these in the ground in my garden. Before I do, what, if anything, should I do to amend the red clay soil?

A: Although it seems counterintuitive to put a plant into clay soil when you could easily prepare an area of rich soil for it, the best thing for most perennial plants is to be planted in native soil. The caveat is that the soil needs to be well broken up. In this way, the plant’s roots become comfortable growing in clay, and they won’t have a problem growing through the sides of your planting hole and into the native soil around it.

Honestly, the main drawback of clay soil is the lack of pore space where the fine feeder roots of a plant can find moisture and nutrients. I will admit that sometimes I add some expanded slate (Permatill, Stalite) to my flower beds. The slate provides permanent internal pore space, as well as holding the clay particles apart enough to provide external pore space. One thing to avoid is planting perennials and shrubs into a spot that has been over-amended with compost and manure. In this case, the plant roots will luxuriate in the rich bed and will refuse to explore as they should. Also, excess organic matter holds water and causes root rot.