In article , John
Wilkins wrote:

I thought a pitch fork would help to aerate the soil without disturbing the
roots too much.

A spade or a hoe has the risk of slicing thru the root system.

A pitchfork on the other hand, whilst it may hit some roots, would leave it
intact.

My problem is that my soil has a lot of clay. The bad drought that we have
been experiencing has caused the soil to harden. So I need to poke holes
into the soil to allow for more water to get down there instead of just
washing off.

Actually, John, clay soil holds water very well. The way to allow it to
penetrate is to water very little at a time and while it is still damp,
later the same day, water it again. The water moves through the soil
very slowly. So from now on, try not to let it dry out completely.

If you need to deep water your roses, a pitchfork stuck straight in
the soil might make holes that will help, but don't cultivate with it.
What I want to know is how you're going to get a pitchfork into the
soil if it is as hard as you describe.

If you think about a deep root waterer, it sticks a hole about 6 inches
down and then emits water. Your pitchfork could work. Don't do this
close to the canes - do it out by the drip line, maybe just 4 or 6
times making a big rough circle 8 to 10 inches away from any cane. Then
water a little. Then water again the same day. *Digging* is something
you don't want to do. A few holes won't kill a rose, especially if they
facilitate watering. Then mulch. Use lucerne hay or other organic
matter. It will help the soil and it will help keep the water from
evaporating so fast.

I garden in clay in a windy climate. We have no rain for 6 or 7 months
a year. The end of summer can be very difficult. The key is preventing
the soil from completely drying out in the first place.

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Cass
Zone 9 San Francisco Bay Area
http://home.attbi.com/~cassbernstein/index.html