Garden advice is the same - a bundle of contradictions. You could go this way. It's pleasant down this way, too. Of course, some people do go both ways.
I'm always looking for tips on planting in solid clay. A. says dig a hole and backfill it with amended soil, a mix of the original clay, some shredded pine bark, and some compost. B. says that this is the worst thing you can do; all you are doing is creating a soggy bowl that will eventually drown your plants. Never dig down. Instead, build the soil up. That will give your plants something decent to sink their roots into. Of course, that won't work if your garden scheme involves planting on a steep hill. Back to A.
Speaking of clay, tilling is a hot topic these days. A. says go for it - it will loosen and aerate the soil, help mix in nutrients, and all in all create a more hospitable environment for planting. Back in the day, my mother was Queen of the Rototiller, and she had a gorgeous garden. But now I understand that tilling is an ecological no-no. B. tells me that it depletes soil nutrients, disturbs beneficial insects and organisms, and encourages weeds to germinate. Apparently my weeds are very smart, because they germinate just fine with no encouragement in my untilled back yard.
All of which raises an important question: is sauce for the goose really sauce for the gander, or is there more than one way to skin a cat? I have no idea, but I'm getting a headache worrying about it. Oh well. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and since my garden seems to be sputtering along, I can't be doing everything wrong.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it.