Garden News (UK)

CARRY OUT A WINTER DIG

It can relieve soil compaction and aids drainage too

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Digging soil is hard work but has many benefits, besides reducing the midriff! Exposing clumps of soil to the weather can help to break them up, if the soil is clay and the job is done before spring.

There are arguments against digging; that it can reduce soil fungi and harm soil fauna and aid the leach of nutrients in sandy soils, but I think, in most cases, the benefits outweigh these. Digging can incorporat­e annual weeds on the surface, clearing the plot. You can mix in organic ma er, and then increase the depth of the fertile topsoil. It can also relieve soil compaction, helping drainage and encouragin­g healthy plant growth.

Not every bed needs to be dug every year but it’s good to get newly cultivated areas ready for planting. After an initial good dig, leave worms to mix in mulches of compost, but intensivel­y cultivated areas will benefit from extra effort, which is why veg beds are usually dug every year. Mix in sand or grit to lighten soil or organic ma er to help it drain and also retain moisture in summer. Remove any perennial weeds as you find them.

4

I’ve lots of beds to make in my Then turn over the soil

new garden, which was formerly next to the trench to fill it

a field. I need to deeply dig over and make a new trench

the soil and mix in organic ma er. and repeat the procedure along

New beds treated this way last the plot to the end.

year are already full of worms.

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