Tim W wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote ...
A rotovator will break up the soil as long as it's not heavy clay and
compacted.

heavy compacted clay - that's what I have! and getting drier and harder by
the day. What's the procedure there, then?

It'll deal with it (depending on your machine) when the soil is just
damp enough. Too dry, and it'll be very hard work, too damp and the
machine will bog down axle-deep in a mass of quaking porridge! You
can rotavate in suitable organic matter and lime, which will help
a lot. The organic matter does not need to be of very good quality
in the first instance, anything goes.