Jim W wrote:
=

Joe98 wrote:
=

Putting in my first organic vegetable garden next year, so forgive me=
if my
questions are a little naive. I'm trying to get everything tilled up=
now
and let it rest all winter. I've skimmed several books, one of which=

mentioned "Double Digging" tilling. Here's a parphrasing of the proc=
ess:

Dig a 1 foot trench down the long side of the garden. Keep the top s=
oil in
the garden, but take the rest and throw it in a wheel barrow. After
finishing the trench, go back and dig down another foot of subsoil an=
d put
it in the wheel barrow. (Sounds like a big wheel barrow). Mix the s=
ubsoil
with peat moss and compost before putting it back in the garden. Mak=
e the
mixture one third peat moss plus two thirds compost, plus one part su=
bsoil.
Rake the top soil back into the trench, then add the new subsoil mix =
on top.
Dig another 1 foot trench and repeat untill garden is all tilled. Ta=
mp down
when finished. Expect bed to be about three inches higher when finis=
hed.
Wait at least a month before planting.

Bascially, I wanted to ask the group if this seems like a sound metho=
d. I'm
in western PA and my soil tends to be on the clay side. I don't thin=
k I'll
go as deep as two feet, but because the garden area is new, I do plan=
to go
deeper than one would for standard tilling. In particular, does the =
mix
sound right? BTW, when they say peat moss, am I to assume they mean =
peat
hummus? And for compost, I expect to use mostly manure (bags). Is i=
t
reasonable to assume the bed will only be rasied 3 inches?

There is still some grass on the plot I plan to use, and with winter =
coming
soon, I doubt I'll have time to cover it and kill it with black plast=
ic. If
I just till the grass under, and then cover it and let it sit all win=
ter, I
should be fine, right?

Oh, this might be a dumb question, but... If putting black plastic =
over
grass for a couple weeks kills the grass, why doesn't the grass die w=
hen
covered by snow all winter?
=

Answers answers..
=

Double digging is double digging, 'tilling' done with a tiller, is a
mechanised version of hand digging (a bit like ploughing) I suspect the=

book may have UK terms in some of its origin. Peat moss is not incorrec=
t
though I guess Moss Peat; that is, peat made from moss, is what is
referred to. It is humus as you describe.
=

The moss is just used to add humus.. You could equally add mature leaf
mould (2 - 3 year) or similar.
=

Compost can be of your choice. Matured animal manure is fine as is home=

made compost (from kitchen waste etc). AS long as its partly rotted eg
NOT fresh.
Digging is often measured in the length of a spades blade or 'spits' so=

you can substitute 'spit' for 'foot' in the measurements. Though I gues=
s
it depends on how big a spade you use!-)
=

You can adapt double digging like this.
=

Remove your first spit depth trench of soil and move it to the 'end' of=

the are you intend to dig. Fork manure/humus/compost into bottom of
second spit spit of soil.
=

Fill first trench with soil from 2nd and continue this method across th=
e
area to be dug.
When you reach end of the area you will have your soil from your
initial trench to fill in.
=

Lift the turf and stack upside down, covered under plastic. Next year
you will have a ready made loam pile for potting etc.
=

Snow lets through enough air and light and is naturally cold so
minimises growth. Black plastic only cuts out light and air.

And practically stops the exchanges of gases that living products
produce along with the microbial activity.
=

//
Jim

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal