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'Training' pepper plants to like clay (artificial selection)

So as I've mentioned in an earlier thread, I've just moved to southern Portugal. Now I've found out the soil in my backyard is all heavy clay. It starts to crack on hot days and drains very poorly. The owners of the property have some pepper plants in the backyard, which aren't doing great. They do produce fruit, and quite a bit even. Just the leaves and fruits are very small and the plants is very bushy. 
 
Getting to the point. Since my interest in plants started, I've been wanting to start crossing, breeding etc. So I thought I what better place to start  then here? I've collected seeds from the best growing of the two plants, because they are supposed to be the same variety but one is doing much, much better. I planted some of the seeds and one of them has come up already. I know it's late (or very early lol) but we don't experience frost here and as of now it is still 30 degrees Celsius outside. Anxious to grow, what can I say.
 
The way I had in mind was to start with a mixing in 1 part dried clay with every 5 parts of my normal soil. I would only save seeds from the very best growing plants. Then every generation add 1 part of clay extra, repeating the proces until the mixture is at least 50% clay. The thing I'd like to accomplish is creating a strain that has thicker and stronger roots, to more easily dig through the compact clay.
 
Who has any thoughts on this? I would love to hear some experts' opinion as I've got no prior experience in breeding, and this is just a side project/hobby. All the things I think I know have come from reading on the internet, and everybody knows how reliable that information can be :D
 
 
Thanks in advance!
 
Ps. If this could be a feasible endeavour, I will keep a glog for everyone who's interested to follow.
 
The best way to approach this, is to condition the soil.  Heavy organic matter is your friend.  Find a farm that has horses, chickens, etc.  Pull weeds, trim trees and bushes, etc.  Take all of the green waste that you can get your hands on, and put it into the ground.  If you have access to a tiller, perfect.   Till it in at least 20cm.  And do it every year.
 
Clay soils are incredibly productive, if properly conditioned.  Some of the best you can find, in my opinion...  But not without some love!
 
Yeah that is also something I'm gonna do in a few spots, but seeing as I can grow peppers in pots very easily it doesn't have a big priority. This is just meant as a proof of concept kind of plan, something to do besides just growing plants. Want to see if it is possible to make them thrive in clay-based soil without having to amend the soil beforehand.
 
I live in Kentucky. The whole place has clay soil. Peppers do great in clay soil already. Clay has a lot of nutrients. I don't believe that peppers need any special breeding for clay soil. The soil really doesn't have to even be amended that much. It just needs to be loosened up a bit. All soil, regardless of its composition, will benefit from adding a little organic matter. 
 
Thank you for replying mister President! As I've come to understand peppers like soil with proper drainage. And I thought clay soil doesn't drain well? Or does the organic matter help with that? I thought the water would still bog up somewhere down there, as the clay stretches beyond where I can still reasonably add organic matter. 
 
I was thinking of starting with the following mix using the things I have available at the moment:
 
3 parts peat
3 parts compost
1 part perlite
1 part clay from the backyard
 
 
I would gladly accept critique and advice on my mix. 
 
b3rnd said:
Thank you for replying mister President! As I've come to understand peppers like soil with proper drainage. And I thought clay soil doesn't drain well? Or does the organic matter help with that? I thought the water would still bog up somewhere down there, as the clay stretches beyond where I can still reasonably add organic matter. 
 
I was thinking of starting with the following mix using the things I have available at the moment:
 
3 parts peat
3 parts compost
1 part perlite
1 part clay from the backyard
 
 
I would gladly accept critique and advice on my mix. 
 
I guess the composition of the clay soil in your area is different than mine. I have very heavy clay soil. It holds a lot of moisture but it does not pool. It drains just fine because there are lots of roots from other plants and lots of worms and other critters that help aerate and improve drainage.
 
I can go to my backyard and dig a hole in some virgin soil and my peppers grow just fine. I've done it a few times because I am a lazy gardener. My only amendments are a few layers of newspaper and some mulch around the plant.
 
President Trump said:
 
I guess the composition of the clay soil in your area is different than mine. I have very heavy clay soil. It holds a lot of moisture but it does not pool. It drains just fine because there are lots of roots from other plants and lots of worms and other critters that help aerate and improve drainage.
 
I can go to my backyard and dig a hole in some virgin soil and my peppers grow just fine. I've done it a few times because I am a lazy gardener. My only amendments are a few layers of newspaper and some mulch around the plant.
 
Yeah the water here doesn't drain away very easily. Come spring I'm going to try to put a few plants straight in the soil as you do. Will post back the results eventually!
 
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