Loam is made up of sand and clay. The substrate was created through natural weathering of primary rock. Stones were worn away by glacier movements. In the garden, sandy loam soil has valuable properties.
Where can I find clay?
To find clay, you should visit the foothills of the Alps in Germany, the Magdeburger Börde or the glacial valley of the Elbe, as these areas are rich in clay soils. It would be ideal to determine the clay content of your garden soil by testing it after a rain event - puddles with little seepage indicate clayey soil.
Clay deposits in Germany
Clayey soils can be found throughout Central Europe. They are typical of former glacial valleys and end zones of Ice Age glaciers. In Germany there are hardly any regions without clay. In the foothills of the Alps, the Magdeburger Börde or the glacial valley of the Elbe, clay soil dominates. The areas with the lowest clay content in the subsoil include the low mountain ranges as well as the Middle Rhine and the edge zones of the Alps. In the heaths the soil is very loose and contains sand. They have negligible clay concentrations.
Soil test for clay content
Wait until the next rain to determine the soil type. If puddles form on the surface that do not seep away over a long period of time, the soil is clayey. The material has a compacted structure and hardly allows any water to pass through. You can shape some garden soil when it is wet with the palm of your hand to determine the soil type:
- Clay: can be formed into a smooth and sticky sausage
- Silt: smooth sausage whose ends cannot be joined
- Sand: breaks into crumbs when trying to shape it
Buy clay
Gravel pits are the first point of contact for natural clay. They offer the excavation for an average of around ten euros per ton. The costs vary depending on the region. Building clay is available at the Naturbauhof.
Pit clay
This raw material includes clay soil that was taken from the pit and not processed. In this form, the substrate is used as a raw material for earth building techniques or in the production of earth building products. It occurs as by-products in gravel pits.
construction clay
Prepared mine clay that has been freed from stones is called building clay. This can be used directly for building or in the garden. In this form, the earth-moist material is filled into big bags that, depending on the manufacturer, contain between 500 and 1,000 kilograms. Clay powder was additionally sieved, dried and ground. It is available in bulk packs or 25 kilo bags and can be used like lime or cement.
