Hmmm i grew up in tn.kinda familiar with your clay.they always made good mud pies& can form objects with it too..LOL
that good ole tn red clay is good for useing as a soil in pond
plants....it won't wash out..LOL
currently guideing my mom through this.if you got the hard clay that you use a pick axe to get into you are going to want to amend and being fall is a good winter project for ya.when you rake up them leaves just go on and lay out on that clay hill.check with the city and see if they do recycleing program with
tree trimmings stuff they will usually give it away for free.if not call around for some top soil.i'm not good on measurement stuff i just look and add myself.but then you want to rottertill it in.i'd do at least 5-6 ft of it deep clay drians slower.but one you do all that........you can grow anything
and being a hill....my mom has hill in front yrd and they have used rail road timbers.she had a slight problem with soil washing out last rainfall last week so think they added another row of timber& told her to incline it back a lil& not
plant soil to the top of it.your county ext office can give you a list of
plants good for your area and can give you list of
plants to help with erosion control moms lower middle tn& has heavy shade to partial shade,she don't get much sun in that yard.
I actually talked her into trying to grow in the ground instead of all those containers.shes the queen of containers in /tn(shes real proud of this hole in a bed in her backyard it has
plants growing in it...tried telling me she don't grow all in containers.......the ground formed a container....she dug 2 ft of soil out and put in miricle grow and planted impatients in it)
I love my sandy soil.......but do like clay sometimes....like when did my pond after moveing.went to hill for red clay.had 3 inches of sandy soil from pond
plants.
plants were roots in container...i know where my sand was when eptied to move.