Double Digging Dilemma

Hello everyone,

I'm just about to commence double digging an 80ft bed and would like fellow members opinions on what to do.

The bed used to be under a concrete drive and I believe the soil is quite infertile, it's a brown-orange colour and quite dense, but I can still get a fork in a dig it over. On top of that is about 6 inches of top soil, which the builders dumped on top of the clay.

My problem is I've read several accounts that moving the infertile soil to the surface would be "troublesome" while some say it should be brought to the surface.

Am not sure what to do, should I leave the infertile soil underneath but dig the trenches and line them with compost anyway, or put the infertile soil on top to be exposed?

 

Jane, trust me when I say double ( or illegitimate child ) digging, is NOT necessary. Just turn over a spits ( the depth of a spades blade ) deep. Any plants you grow will do well.

 

Now he tells me

I just dug 20' x 3' first spade deep onto a tarpauline at the side
I then dug the next depth spade deep onto a tarpauline at the other side
Cowped the top soil tarp, into the trench then cowped the second layer soil onto the top
Then forked it all over

Now I find it was unnecessary

Jack McKnackeredlashing

 

Why didn`t you ask Jack?:D We all know subsoil is rubbish, so why dig it? Apart from improving drainage, what does it do? Most vegetables will root/grow in the top 6" to 8" of soil.

 

Well, its done now, innit.

I digs a spade depth trench, loosens the second layer with a fork, throws me moo poo and/or compost in & then back fills it

 

You lazy devil you, Zig.lol

 

Even shrubs, trees etc? The clay soil underneath the top soil is quite dense though and wonder if any roots will get through it. The worms don't seem to have any problem though....

 

.
Hi Jane

If you're able, double dig, at least for the first time!

I always double dig the rows as I lift the potatoes, firstly to loosen the lower spit and to search for any missed potatoes.

Plants with the exception of brassicas grow better in open soil, you have to look no further than Holland as any example, sandy open soil, miles deep!

On another posting about high winds, we here are are on heavy sticky grey clay soil, and earlier in the year when we also had high winds, two massive beech trees were blown over exposing the subsoil!

They had been growing in only a few inches of top soil, the roots were all exposed,and the roots ran out horizontally and almost none down into the clay!

So get digging but take it easy, if you have a Tarzan make him do it!

 

Are you trying to put Tarzan into an early grave!

Have you seen Janes garden. http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/garden-projects/34930-my-gardens-working-progress.html The poor guy probably has his work cut out with all of the other jobs that are on the go.

 

Jane, I have done it both ways, double dig, single dig. There is no differance to plant production. Who did the double digging thousands of years ago when the rainforests were formed?

 

I've never double dug any ground, but if you do, as has been already said you dont bring the sub soil to the surface, you need to remove the topsoil first and then break up the subsoil.

I go along with what most are saying, although it depends a lot on your particular conditions, why dig deeper than the roots are going to penetrate.
But then again, it depends on what you intend growing.

 

:-(
Just read a garden book, and not only is double digging not required, but it is not good (espescially the way I did it) as I had put all the top soil with nutrients down to the bottom and put the lower poor soil on the top
And where do plants get their nutrients from the TOP Soil :-)

So where in my head did I get the term double dig and did it?
From Allotments over 50 years ago

Jack McH

 

:DOH:The way I understood it, and i could be wrong, was that the first spit was taken out & put to the end of the bed, then the second spit was forked or loosened, then the weeds/grass from the next bit was put at the bottom of the first trench & then the next trench covered that.

Burying the weeds deep enough for them to rot, but not so deep as the roots of the crop can't get to them.

Blimey, just read that back & it sounds worse than instructions for flat pack furniture.:DOH:

Just dig some horse poo in, its easier

 

Single digging is fine, then mulch with well rotted manure.

 

.

Just to throw a dirty big spanner into the trench, why not "NO DIG" method,let the little beasties , the worms do all the hard work!

.