Diggng.

[snooky]

On the site this morning, there was a discussion about which was the favourite tool for digging.Spades and forks came out on top but it seems that the heavy-duty Chillington type is also favoured amongst the younger element with long-handled spades being used by the older element.
A few put forward the arguement for the 'no-dig' brigade but had to admit that they had to dig out the likes of couch grass,bindweed and creeping buttercup.
No matter whatever the tool or method I enjoy digging,but one day I may have to resort to a rotavator!

[Kleftiwallah]

The trouble with rotovators is that (aledgedly) they form a hard pan of soil at the depth of the tines/blades. Cheers, Tony.

[Monika]

I still prefer the old-fashioned spade, preferably T-handled and sharpened by long use. We used to have a rotavator but gave it away because, to my mind, it churned the soil up too finely in the top layers and left the ground below too compacted. Rotavating also means you can't spot the odd perennial weed like dock, dandelion or stinging nettle and get rid of it before it's cut to bits and spread all over the place!

[Brenjon]

I would have thought that the depth that a rotavator achieves would be enough as most veg. plants roots don't go more than 6- 9 inches deep.

Regards Brenjon

[Geoff]

I use two spades and a fork when digging. I have a standard spade that I find the easiest to use to cut a slit as the edge of my trench, I then use a long handled spade to turn a spit into the previous trench by working at right angles to the slit (you can chose how much or how little to turn over depending on how wet or what you feel like), I then use a fork to break up the lower spit but without turning it over, the fork then adds the compost that I stir partly into the lower spit then back to slitting and turning over to fill. Although my soil is good and fairly light we have very high rainfall so I try to lower the water table.

[Nature's Babe]

If topsoil is not very deep I like Emelia Hazlips method of taking topsoil from the paths to raise the height of the beds which helps drainage in the very wet winters we have been getting then mulching to encourage worm activity and retain moisture and protect from compaction by not walking on the beds, just reach in from paths and plant up through the mulch. After the first dig no more digging is needed and worms eating the mulch adds to soil depth.

[Elaine]

Hello everyone.
We have never used a rotavator on our allotment for the very reasons Kleftiwallah mentions, the hard pan (Especially on heavy soil) and also Monika,regarding the weeds being chopped up and spread .

When we took the allotment on, 6 years ago, it hadn't been cultivated for 4 years and the previous tenant had obviously rotavated on a regular basis. Our soil is heavy and clay based. We started double digging and the first spit depth wasn't too bad but below that, it was literally like trying to dig through tarmac...there was a clay "road" beneath the soil. Consequently, the drainage was very poor....pools of water after rain, that wouldn't drain away. Over the past years we have double dug and incorporated plenty of well rotted manure and our soil is now nothing like it was back then, thank goodness. It holds moisture well, yet drains freely and it no longer resembles a B Movie earthquake set, in the summertime. It is almost a pleasure to dig it now, so our hard graft has paid off!
Cheers.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Now I'm getting older I've down-sized to a lightish border fork. We're on a clay-loam so parts of the garden are a bit heavy so it is easier and quicker with the fork. Also you can take any weeds out easily without chopping them up as with a spade. It is also kinder on the worms.