Dale McSwain wrote in message ...
Having done my share of double digging...

I would like to know if anyone else does this
on a larger scale basis. Say an acre or more.
Is it practical on a larger scale? If so how?

Thanks
Dale

Even when done by machine, the soil eventually recompacts if you don't
add organic matter - or at least that is my experience. And if you do
add it, and it is brown, it will reduce N. If it is green, it will
disappear quickly. What improves the soil permanently is patience and
the usage of mulch and crops that break the ground or otherwise help a
large earthworm population.
A dandelion taproot can go down five feet, and the first foot of that
channel probably remains open one year in heavy clay (I am guessing.
My parents have heavy clay and I have seen channels in their soil).

If I were to try loosening one acre of clay I would probably start by
getting a few loads of free woodchips or leaves from the utilities,
and spread it six inches thick in the fall. I would maybe mix in grass
clippings on part of the area to see whether that helps (not for
nutrients but to speed decay and feed earthworms. They need nitrogen
too). Next I would make sure that there are earthworms every few feet
or so to speed colonization (they don't migrate much by themselves,
and if the soil was degraded they would not be there). In the spring
(or summer if the mulch is still too heavy) I would try a variety of
crops that are known to help break the ground: clover or other green
manure, mache, chicory, potatoes, you name it, and see what works
best. The next year I would use what worked best, and perhaps start
adding nutrient-rich matter, such as manure. One would still have to
occasionally plant a cover crop to keep the soil loose.