Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Liz" <liz@allslash.org>]

> Is your clay diggable when it has the right level of moisture? We
> have hard clay in the summer, with no rain for months, that's
> impossible to make a dent in. But it's possible to dig if it's
> moistened properly, with a trickle of water, so that the soil can
> absorb it. It's like magic! I've been able to dig a foot down with no
> effort, even in the middle of the dry season, when I've let the hose
> run at a slow trickle for a little while.

Yes, that's the only way to dig a hole. I just planted some daylilies in an
area that I had never cultivated, and had to water it down good to get into
the surface at all. But still, digging 24 to 36 inches deep is a job I can
barely imagine doing by hand. There's that hardpan below the surface that
you can't get through easily even with water on it. Another issue is that
the ground is full of vines and pine tree roots that have to be cut up as
you go.

One thing that did occur to me is that I could use the old tiller to break
up the surface, dig that out, and then go back for another pass, dig it out,
etc. It's worth a try. I don't know whether the tiller can handle the
hardpan or not.

Liz
http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com