Hi there. I have never had clay soil before and moved to a new home in Idaho that has it. I have read lots of ways to plant trees in clay soil, but they are all different which has left me more confused than ever. Has any of you planted trees in clay soil? Which way did you plant trees?
Thank You

We have red clay to China. I have read where people say to add/mix stuff into your soil & that is what this article recommends. We DO NOT recommend that because we lost many trees, shrubs, and bulbs from mixing amendments into the soil. What worked for us was to plant white clover (green manure) & to put lots & lots of compost & mulch on the top of the soil. We also learned to plant high. Be careful about mixing into the soil. You create a clay bowl at the bottom that holds lots of water when it rains. We also do trench composting & you can find how to do that on Google. BTW, making your soil better is a long, long process. We have been at it for 12 years.

Jake mace the vegan athelete has some good ideas. So does shamus O'Leary. Also consider reading Steven Solomons book the intelligent gardener. He suggests only amending with sand and gypsom and other elements (that currently escapes me- one may be cottonseed meal) once, then topdressing with loamy soil. Here's another Gardener who recommends making the holes square, not round, and drilling into the sides and adding sand : Top Mistakes When Starting a Desert Food forest https://youtu.be/2xAKJCenUgE