Double digging – this is a technique for digging over your allotment which was widely practiced a generation ago, and was once so common it formed part of the practical exams for horticulture students. It involves digging a trench two spades deep and bringing the bottom layer of soil to the top. The idea is that it will aerate the soil and help to break up big clumps. However there is also a school of thought which believes the practice serves little good, as the subsoil is often low in nutrients, meaning there is little benefit to your plants. These critics prefer a technique of digging just one spade’s depth and turning the soil as you go. If digging over winter, leave it roughly dug to allow the frost to help break up the clumps, before raking and forking in the Spring to a fine tilth, ready for planting.
On the other hand there is also the no-dig method. This idea rests on the notion that the roots of your plants will only go down around 20cm and so it is only the top level of the soil that needs work. (Plus it is thought that deep digging destroys the soil structure.) You will still need to dig the plot the very first time you get it, but not from then on. Instead lightly fork and rake over the top layer of soil before each planting season and add organic matter if needed. This method is perfect for raised beds.
Making your own compost accelerator – compost needs a mixture of moisture, carbon and nitrogen to produce a good rot, but in order to help the process along gardeners used to add a urine mix. One part urine should be combined with eight parts water and then poured on to your compost heap. Turn regularly and your homemade manure will be perfect!
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