Jim Arbury demonstrated his single digging technique (Photo 1):
- Ideal height of British spade = comes up to your middle.
- Curved spade better for soil cultivation - stick in forward and pull back. Same for forks - flat tines better for harvesting potatoes.
- Starting from half a plot lengthways. Dig a spids width deep and apart. Put soil of first trench adjacent to trench width ways (the other half of the plot).
a) Line trench with compost (approx. 5cm thick)
b) Start on another trench upwards/ downwards from first one. Ideally dig in once at correct width and height and flick earth upside down into first trench (so that weeds at the top are at the bottom).
- Then line new trench with compost and repeat steps a) & b) until whole plot is cultivated but alternate between which end you start at to keep trenches as straight as possible.
 |
| Photo 1: Single digging - soil is dug out of first trench and put asides of it, next trench is dug & soil is used to backfill first trench, then lined with compost. |
a) Line out two spids across/ width first with string.
- Dig out one spids deep & wide soil first. Put soil in a wheelbarrow or adjacent to the first trench on the other half of the plot like in the single digging.
b) Loosen soil with fork gently in excavated area. Can put compost in at this point or turf if plot is covered with turf.
c) Step onto edge of undug trench. Dig out soil of other half of trench, but leaving ridge you are standing on, put soil into initial excavated trench. Repeat steps a), b) & c) and keep backfilling trenches until whole plot is cultivated.
 |
| Photo 2: Demo of double digging. |
Estimated manure required 50l per sqm.
Estimated compost required 35l per sqm.
One wheelbarrow carries 70l.
Cow manure is best but hard to get hold of. Need to be careful where horse manure is sourced because of bad chemicals they are fed to worm them.
After Hanbury Court tidy up - another general tidy up.