Re: Double-digging
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: Double-digging
- From: D* M* <d*@southconn.com>
- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 17:38:59 -0600 (MDT)
At 11:41 AM 7/10/97 -0600, you wrote:
>A final thought. I am wondering if the often recommended method of "double
>digging" is a good practice. On the surface it seems to me that it is not
>wise to change the soil profile by exchanging top soil with sub soil. I
>would welcome comments on this.
>John Montgomery
John,
I've done a little double digging over the last few years. However, I am
always careful of mixing my clay subsoil with good topsoil. I usually dig
off the top soil and place it onto a plastic tarp. I then mix organic
matter into the exposed subsoil. Finally, I put the topsoil back and mix
the topsoil with generous amounts of organic matter like compost and well
rotted horse manure. My topsoil is mostly sand and I found that even when
I do mix the two strata, subsoil and topsoil, they usually form distinct
layers again within a season or two. I guess that I really do a modified
form of what you usually see in the gardening books as double digging.
-Donald
Donald Mosser
Member of AIS, HIPS, SIGNA, SSI, SLI, SPCNI, and IRIS-L
dmosser@southconn.com
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/5570
North Augusta, South Carolina, USA
On the South Carolina and Georgia Border
USDA Zone 7b-8
