For centuries, farmers have been digging up their fields so that the crops can grow better. But digging up has a major disadvantage that was not known at the time. Today, this tillage is only recommended for certain purposes.

When digging, the soil is loosened up

Digging or loosening?

Digging up the soil disturbs the habitats of the numerous soil organisms. Each organism requires specific conditions that occur in the different layers. Rearranging the substrate destroys these conditions, so the soil needs time to regenerate after these maintenance measures. This form of tillage is recommended if you want to create a new bed on lawns, stony soil and heavy subsoil. Already existing beds should be loosened with special equipment down to the deeper layers.

Advantages of a dug soil:

  • Water penetrates deeper into the substrate
  • loosened weeds are easier to remove
  • Plants can root better in the soil
  • Oxygen availability through aeration of the soil

When is the best time to dig up?

Whether you dig up your garden in spring or autumn depends on the substrate properties. Both variants have advantages and disadvantages that you have to weigh against each other.

spring

If you applied compost to the soil in the fall, the coming spring is ideal for tilling the soil. They prevent the soil structure from being loosened up in autumn and soil organisms from being exposed to frost. Mulch the soil after applying the compost. A protective layer of leaves insulates the substrate and ensures that the microorganisms can also work in winter.

In the spring, the compost is finely crumbly due to frost damage. Digging up in the spring ensures that the nutrients reach the roots of the newly planted plants directly. The earth has compacted considerably over the course of the winter, so that loosening and digging up requires more effort.

fall

If you apply the compost in the spring, the autumn is better suited for digging. Tillage is easier in autumn because the substrate is not as compacted before the frost. Over the winter, the soil that has been dug up freezes, which inhibits the growth of weeds. Large chunks are blown open by the frost and the soil structure is improved. The proportion of air voids in the substrate increases. A frost-blasted soil will be slightly loosened in spring before you can put the plants in and sow seeds.

The soil should be neither too dry nor too wet. Wait until the first autumn showers have subsided before tilling the soil. From mid-September to the end of October, the days are still mild and there is no risk of frost at night. Remove any weeds you spot while digging.

A guide to digging

The simple digging ensures that the soil is completely turned.

  1. Create a ditch that runs across the entire bed. To do this, cut out the earth with a spade, which you put on at a slight angle. The spade blade can sink completely into the ground.
  2. Bring the excavated soil to the opposite side of the bed.
  3. Next to the first trench, dig a second one. Turn the excavated soil 180 degrees and place the substrate in the first trench.
  4. Continue in this way to the end of the bed. The last trench is filled up with the soil from the first trench.
  5. With this measure, remove weeds and make sure that no larger soil organisms are harmed.

Special feature: double digging

In this variant, the soil is dug up to a depth of two spade blades. Proceed in the same way as for simple digging. The advantages are that the permeability of particularly heavy soils is improved. If you create new beds, this method is also well suited. In this way, the turf gets into the subsoil, where it is decomposed and provides nutrients to the substrate. The weed seeds, which are in the upper layers of the soil, get into the deeper layers of the soil and cannot germinate.

Additional advantages:

  • Plants root through deeper layers of the earth
  • Width growth is minimized
  • up to four times more yield with appropriate compost fertilization

The right garden tool

Spades are sturdy garden tools that are perfect for digging and loosening soil. Pay attention to the length of the stem. If the spade is up to your chest, you can work at an optimal height. Heavy soils can be worked well with a small spade blade. Rocky subsoils are dug up with a triangular or semi-circular blade. Curved and rectangular leaves are suitable for rock-poor substrates.

With their four tines, spade forks have the advantage that they damage less soil organisms such as earthworms during tillage. This garden tool is easier to insert into hard and rocky soil. It serves to loosen the subsoil. With a sow tooth, loosen the soil to deep layers without turning it over

Category:

Garden design