On Saturday, 3 December 2016 13:20:05 UTC, rick wrote:
I have very bad ground .... it was a selfbuild site that was land built
up by over 20' back in 30's to become a railway sidings .... what they
built it up with is steel works slag & subsoil from nearby A road they
were digging through a hill.
Disused since 60's it became a SelfBuild site.

For my main veg plots I built up high raised beds and imported soil ...
and over a couple of years with loads of manure & sharp sand have got
this to good condition and very fertile.
But for borders and ground level beds ... although I dug out the 'sub
soil' to a depth of 24' and put in imported soil it is very heavy - with
high clay content, gets waterlogged.

Due to established plants SWMBO won't let me Rotavate it so mass
addition of anything is not an option.
I have come up with a plan B

I bought a hand operated 4" diameter Auger ... and have the idea that
every 2' or so will bore put a 4" hole around 2' deep and fill it with
sharp sand ... and top the last 2" with good loam.
Physically tried it and it bores the holes easily.
My thought being 2 fold ... vertical drainage will allow (by
hydrostatic pressure) water to seep into the sand filled 'tubes' and
help drain the ground.
and secondly over time the sand will mix in with soil by worm action
etc. ,,, and improve the soil.

Anybody see any issues with this €¦. And maybe any improvement €¦. maybe
something other than just sharp sand into the holes ?

At this time of year, gather up as many dead laves as you can and dig them in.
Or better, compost them first.
Lawnmower makes a good dead leaf gatherer.