Hey Rob, thanks for the comments on John Jeavons and double digging. I went
and ordered two of JJ's books. I think the method might help me in the
difficult situations that I face. There are bush fires on my land every
year. This year I had to work hard to prevent fires reaching my compost
heaps and grass piles and the mulch around my trees. In previous years the
fires have burnt up compost piles and practically all the surface mulch.
It's very difficult to prevent the fires from spreading. I've had to
concentrate on protecting a small area. Hoeing around compost piles and
mulched trees seems the only reliable way to prevent fires reaching them. I
try raking the grass after I cut it, but even that doesn't stop the fires
from spreading. The smallest particles of dry grass that the rakes miss are
enough to propagate the fires.
I wish I could do what other people have suggested, just leaving organic
matter on the surface, but over the past few years I think the soil has been
losing organic matter because of the fires. If I have finished compost I
will much prefer to dig it into the soil. Leaving it on the surface is much
too risky. Just a few days ago there were more fires that reached my land
and burnt up a lot of grass that I could have used for compost, mulch etc.
I'm thinking of buying a rotary cutter, with the nylon string, to use,
although I dislike using power tools.