I would say that everything depends on using the correct spade. Mine above were made by Elwell and are 60 years old and still going strong.
The spade needs to be sharp, well balanced & the correct length for the user. Quite honestly, I would be whacked if I attempted to double dig with some of the monstrosities on the market today.
You may notice my own spade is worn on the front right side...after many years of use, this wear happens depending on whether you are right or left handed. I'm right handed, had I have been left handed, the wear would have been on the opposite side.
What does it achieve? Do you get plants or yield double the size? Does it keep the undergardener out of mischief?
Double-digging improves the aeration of the soil, facilitates root penetration, and is especially recommended for crops such as carrots that root deeply, helping to prevent forking. It’s beneficial for new garden beds with long-term plantings, such as vegetables, perennials, cane fruits, and shrubs.
Double-digging also improves soil drainage by breaking up compaction and removing hardpan on soil.
David is correct, my father only did the double digging on the root bed, he used a rotation method so the root bed moved year by year. It allowed us to grow long perfectly straight veg which won him prizes at the local show. We did not use modern grow them in pipes back then. We also had a midden for our horse manure and compost so that bed got well fed. Potato's have to be earthed up so no point in double digging. Dad an old fashioned gardener fed the family and extended family from our large garden with a little help from me, he did not believe in wasting his time so used the double digging method once in a year on one plot in the rotation, to him it was common sense and good gardening, end of lesson.
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Or just can't see the point
In the sticks near Peterborough
I would say that everything depends on using the correct spade. Mine above were made by Elwell and are 60 years old and still going strong.
The spade needs to be sharp, well balanced & the correct length for the user. Quite honestly, I would be whacked if I attempted to double dig with some of the monstrosities on the market today.
You may notice my own spade is worn on the front right side...after many years of use, this wear happens depending on whether you are right or left handed. I'm right handed, had I have been left handed, the wear would have been on the opposite side.
where my first polytunnel is sited, there was about 6inches of soil then solid rock.
I'll provide tea and biccies whilst someone shows me how to double dig there.
What does it achieve? Do you get plants or yield double the size? Does it keep the undergardener out of mischief?
what about adverbs, pronouns and "past participle"
As much as I love grammar, I'd be pushed to define many of the things we had to learn.
Who gives a rat's what the area under a graph is? Nobody ever told me why I might need to know.
Double-digging improves the aeration of the soil, facilitates root penetration, and is especially recommended for crops such as carrots that root deeply, helping to prevent forking. It’s beneficial for new garden beds with long-term plantings, such as vegetables, perennials, cane fruits, and shrubs.
Double-digging also improves soil drainage by breaking up compaction and removing hardpan on soil.
I know that's the theory David, but has there ever been a scientifically , double blind experiment to see if it's actually true?
Thanks dk.
David is correct, my father only did the double digging on the root bed, he used a rotation method so the root bed moved year by year. It allowed us to grow long perfectly straight veg which won him prizes at the local show. We did not use modern grow them in pipes back then. We also had a midden for our horse manure and compost so that bed got well fed. Potato's have to be earthed up so no point in double digging. Dad an old fashioned gardener fed the family and extended family from our large garden with a little help from me, he did not believe in wasting his time so used the double digging method once in a year on one plot in the rotation, to him it was common sense and good gardening, end of lesson.
Frank