Digging

After something of a disaster last year, when I yielded a crop of precisely 3 carrots, I think I need some advice for growing from seed in the garden.

My vegetable patch was "capped" - the wind and rain had basically turned it into a mud patch, with a hard crust on top. I've forked it over a couple of times and it is much better now, but there's still plenty of big lumps. I plan on sowing some spring onions and pumpkins there over the May bank holiday, as well as planting out some broccoli and kale seedlings. Should I keep forking it over, or will this damage the soil structure in some way?

 

Hi Deserter, sounds like you have heavy clay soil. You will need to break up the hard lumps, I use a mattock, then fork in as much organic material as you can, garden compost, well rotted manure, leafmould etc. Top it with a mulch of the same to prevent the 'cap', the worms will pull it down into the soil for you.
Avoid stepping on the soil if you can to avoid compacting it.

Good luck.

 

Totally agree Blackthorn, get as much hunus as possible into the soil. David.

 

I had heavy clay soil too, so opted for raised beds. You
could still go down this route for crops this year.