I’ve settled on a process for making new beds. I’ve tried a few ways, from no-dig, through hoeing, to digging, and for the new plots on the Mid-levels where the soil is deep, digging is definitely the way to go.
Up here at the house the soil tends to get stoney just below the surface, which got me in the habit of hoeing and forking, and my first few beds at the Mid-levels were also hoed over. Two problems with hoeing are that it’s high impact on the wrists and arms, and that it’s not so deep. The depth is fine for things like lettuce, which are quick from sow to pick, and kept moist and well fertilised, but ideally I want a good soil structure that can withstand wet conditions. A neighbour warned me on the weekend to keep the beds raised because they can get saturated. She has plans to dig in sand and raise them in corrugated iron, but for now mine will just have to do with as much ground prep as I can manage.
The soil structure at the Mid-levels seems good. It breaks into nice crumbs and drains straight through, so I’m hoping that by digging a few ditches to divert any downhill underground flow I can keep the bed surfaces well drained. The dry conditions are also a help as it is easy to lift and break up.
The main picture shows my start. After clearing the surface of grass, I dig a trench across the end of the bed, then slice off spade depths up the bed, throwing the soil back. This is relatively easy work and gives me a nice clean edge to follow so I don’t miss bits.
Here’s the dug bed, showing the large clods, and the dog. Then, because the clods break up easily, I hoe back, bringing the soil that was thrown to the end back to the top.
Then I finish with a rake-over to smooth it up and distribute the lime and fertiliser in the top few cm.
I will compare this bed with others that I’ve just hoed. It took me a couple of hours this morning, and then I sowed some zucchini and edamame soy beans, with room at the end still for a few more…. Back to the list to see what’s next.