For the hobby gardener, annual digging is a must. But how to properly dig, what types of digging there are, how often and when this work should be done is something that only a few garden lovers care about. You can find the answers to these questions in this article.
When and how should a vegetable patch be dug up?
A vegetable bed should be dug up when it is newly created. Heavy soils are ideally dug up in autumn, while light soils should only be loosened in spring. Compost and humus can be added when digging to improve the soil structure.
Digging – useful or harmful?
Digging not only loosens the soil, but also causes the top layer of soil to move downwards and the entire substrate is mixed up. However, this not only has advantages, but also a number of disadvantages:
Soil on which vegetable plants have grown throughout the year has formed a lively soil life and a structure that is massively disturbed by this intervention. Remember that around 200 earthworms and several billion bacteria and protozoa live in one square meter of he althy substrate.
What happens when you dig?
If you dig now, the creatures from the upper layers will suddenly find themselves in the depths. Many die because the conditions no longer suit their way of life. This severely disrupts the metabolism of organic substances to form humus, which can reduce soil fertility.
Due to this disadvantage, more and more hobby gardeners are foregoing regular digging or plowing. Instead, the earth is carefully loosened with a digging fork and then worked with the sow's tooth.
When should you dig?
It is mandatory to dig up when you start a new vegetable garden. When digging, weeds and roots can be easily removed and the soil can be enriched with humus and/or sand, depending on its structure.
It is recommended to sow green manure afterwards, because the roots of these plants, which extend deep into the soil, loosen the layers of soil very well. Alternatively, you can plant potatoes, which also open up the virgin soil.
Dig up heavy soils before winter
Loam and clay soils are dug up in autumn because the so-called frost fermentation allows air to penetrate the soil and improve the structure. When digging, add plenty of humus and compost to permanently improve the soil structure.
How should the soil be loosened?
There are various ways to prepare the soil for the cold season and the next harvest season:
- You can cover the harvested beds with mulch.
- Alternatively, green manure is suitable.
The soil is only loosened up in spring:
- Medium and heavy soils are loosened with a digging fork so that oxygen can penetrate into the deeper soil layers. Then work on the surface again with the Sauzahn (€14.00 at Amazon).
- Light, sandy soils are only loosened back and forth with the sow tooth.
- Finally work compost into the soil with the rake.
Tip
If you have to dig up a bed, you should then cover it with a layer of mulch. This protects the soil organisms so that they can reproduce quickly.
