Double Digging

I was introduced to growing vegetables in beds and double digging back in 1980 when I started reading Mother Earth News Magazine. Before that I had always grown in rows. Double digging was not new at that time, but few gardeners used the technique.

Basically, double digging is loosening and fluffing the soil to a depth of 2 feet. It aerates the soil and allows roots to penetrate deeply into the soil. Water from surrounding soil also settles into the deeply loosened soil, directly below your crops.

 

I am going to be double digging my new beds and want to be sure everyone knows how it is done.

 Here is a great video that explains it very well.

 

 

 

Double digging is more widely used by serious gardeners today. I used it exclusively when I was young. At one point I moved to an area that had hard clay soil. I bought a tiller and got away from digging by hand. At that time in my life I was trying to feed a family of four.

 

Now days, I have gotten older and don't have so many mouths to feed. I'm back to gardening in Florida's sandy soil. I feel that gardening with hand tools is good exercise for this old body. So I'm back to double digging. I like the results I'm getting from it, too.

 

Cindy Conner from www.homeplaceearth.wordpress.com states that double digging is only necessary when first digging a bed. This may be because she practices no-till gardening. I tend to agree with her because with all the organic matter being added to the soil from compost and cover crops, earthworms will be active in the beds keeping the soil loose and friable.  One can also grow cover crops, such as Daikon Radishes, that aid in keeping the soil loose.

 

So, I encourage you to double dig at least one bed and compare the growth from that bed with other beds you may have. A good method of comparing is to grow the same crops in two beds. One that has been double dug and one that hasn't. It doesn't have to be a large bed. I'm sure you will see a noticeable difference in the two beds.

 

 Then you will be a double digging convert like me!

 

 

Soooo...... Until next time......HAPPY GARDENING!