| Have you noticed poor growth in your garden? Do | | | | - Fill the final trench with the soil from the first. |
| you walk constantly over the soil? Are you planning | | | | Here are a few suggestions and tips for double |
| to turn an area of sod into a garden? | | | | digging your garden: |
| If you answered yes to any of these questions, | | | | - Never work the soil when it is extremely wet. You |
| your garden soil may be compacted and need to be | | | | will damage the actual structure of the soil particles. |
| loosened. Your garden may benefit from a practice | | | | This will do more harm than not double digging. |
| called double-digging. This task is not for the weak of | | | | - Compost can be added to the top layer of the |
| back, however, and may require more than one | | | | garden during this process. Just remember to use |
| person (or more than one day, depending on the size | | | | well rotted (or finished) material. |
| of your plot). Here is how the process works: | | | | - If you have an extremely large garden and have |
| - Start at one end of the area and dig a | | | | access to a tractor, a large plow can turn the soil |
| one-shovel-deep trench across the width of the plot. | | | | over at a deep level. This can be a quick and easy |
| Place the soil in a wheelbarrow or off to one side of | | | | way to accomplish the double dig process. |
| the garden. | | | | The best way to avoid needing to double dig your |
| - At the bottom of the trench, thoroughly loosen the | | | | garden is to walk on the soil as little as possible. This |
| soil with a shovel, pitchfork, or pick axe. | | | | may sound counter intuitive. However, if you or your |
| - Next, dig another trench beside the first. Place the | | | | family will walk mainly on designated walkways, your |
| soil from the second trench into the first. | | | | garden will not compact as much. Also, incorporating |
| - Loosen the soil in the bottom of the second trench | | | | organic matter into the soil on a yearly basis and |
| in the same manner as done in the first. | | | | rotating crops properly will reduce the need to double |
| - Continue this process until the entire garden area | | | | dig your garden. |
| has been completed. | | | | |