perk your clay... and determine how long it takes water to move away ...

if it does not drain in a decent amount of time.. skip the rototilling.. and build a bed on top ... a berm of good top soil ...

it also might depend on what you are thinking of growing ...

not all clay is equal . so we start with a perk .... see link

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Ok thanks I wills but I will also say that no matter how good the drainage it's gonna be hard not to over water here because when it rains it really rains like seriously it's like god takes the ocean and dumps it on us lol. I it helps I plan on growing mostly squash and zucchini along with carrots tomatoes pole beans Titan sunflowers and cucumber. I have grown squash and zuchinni here before with great results with no soil enrichment whatsoever and we also have roses i that lets u know anything about the soil

Sprinkling with gypsum helps break up clay soil and is a good calcium souce. Think I would mix in the Black Kow now and let it work its wonders over the winter and be all ready for spring planting. Also, when you mow your lawn, throw on your grass/leaf clippings.

Generally speaking, more organic matter breaks up clay. Sand and clay tend to make mortar.

The cow manure should help. But is there any way to scrape off the sand (or most of it) and move it elsewhere?

Also, if there are fall leaves you can collect, they would add organic matter if you could grab some and till them in.

Doing this work now might be a good idea, as it would let things break down some before next spring...

"Sprinkling with gypsum helps break up clay soil"

It does not. Only if the soil happens to be sodic (high salinity), then gypsum may help reduce surface compaction, but it does not "break up clay soil" .

Here is a link that might be useful: gypsum effects on soil

If it rains that much at the time, wouldn't it be better to do raised bed?

"gypsum helps break up clay soil"

As it was said, not necessarily.
But it's not necessarily the remedy for high salinity.

It is the remedy for high sodium -- aka sodic soil.
(You'll need the services of a professional test lab to determine if that's so.)

Would it be ok if I just put the organic matter on top then till in the spring pretty sure that's what my dad has in mind and he is the one paying so yeah. I could probably scrape off some of the sand idk where I'd put it but I could move it somewhere. I can't do a raised bed because it would be too expensive to fill that large of a bed. Thanks for the help.

I would say : Listen to your dad.

The best soil amendment for clay soil is organic matter; (compost, manure, leaf mold, fall leaves, pine straw). I know , I have done it with GA clay soil and created about 500 sqr-ft garden. That was about 10 years ago

One more thing: don't expect to get a perfect soil/garden the first year. Next fall do also add OM and till it int. Right now is the best time to add fall leaves and pine straw, some garden lime and let it work in during the winter months. Most soil in Carolinas , GA are on the acid side. But it will be helpful to get a soil test and take it from there in terms of how much lime to add.

Good Luck !

Backyard nc,
It's a pleasure to read you ! It's like reading William Faulkner, I can hear your accent from here ;-)

just keep this in mind ...

rototilling sand into clay.. is just about making cement ... or adobe bricks ...

when it rains like heck.. where does the water go.. IN the soil ... or runs away???

dont foget.. for vining type plants like you note ... you can make a small bed of good soil ... and use the sand area for the vines .... if you get my drift

your cheapest alternative.. might be to get a yard or two of good soil delivered.. and move it back there... and make a raised bed of about 12 inches after it settles....which might mean putting 15 to 18 inches to allow settling ...

many of the things listed above.. can nickle and dime you into spending much more.. than you ever intend.. by the time you collect it all ...

but.. if you can find it for free.. and have a truck.. and add you own free labor.. many good suggestions above . ..

but all that said... just plant some seeds in spring... who knows ... maybe this is much to do about nothing.. since we can see.. smell.. feel your soil ... and you might be making a mountain out of a mole hill .. it gets tricky when we rely on the words of a neophyte ... when making presumptions ...

but it all starts with that perk test...

ken

ps: yes.. many of us.. can smell a good or bad soil .... go figure ... a soil that does not drain well... will have a rotting smell... swamp like ....

PPS: btw... while you are perking.. make a snowball of the soil ... it should hold together for a moment or two.. and then start decompressing.. and fall apart... i call that.. a friable soil ... crumbly .... and what follows.. is that water flows thru it .... and that will confirm the perk test ... why havent you done it yet ....???

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks ib is the perk test today is about an hour for the water to drain from about a 12 inch hole good? I think I'm gonna scrape some of the sand off and add organic matter then add more in the spring and till. Thanks for all the help. Also I heard that planting hot peppers along with other veggies will help deter rabbits. There aren't too many rabbits around here but I see them every now and then. I don't want to have to put o'l thumper on the dinner table if u get what I'm sayin. I have a dog too which helps keep them away, but that brings me to my next point. The past couple years we've had moles in our yard and our dog goes crazy trying to get them so he digs a lot. How can I deter him and the moles from the garden as well especially since I am planting some root veggies like carrots and onions. I'm more worried about the dog getting in there but getting the moles away would be good too