I am digging up an big area in the yard to add on to my garden by shovel. Is this the best way? I was thinking if I tilled in the grass the soil would be lumpy and it might grow back up. Will it? Also every year my garden seems to get worse, even after I added an inch of compost to it at the beginning of this year. What should I do and what can I add to the soil to make it better.
Thanks,
Alan
Digging by shovel is just fine.
Tilling grass in usually doesn't work good unless your tiller is powerful enough to really break through the sod. Mine isn't, so I always dig the grass up first.
As far as making your soil better. Another inch of compost would be good. The more the better. If your soil was poor to begin with, just one inch may not do all that good.
I'd encourage you to look into double digging- https://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-19-934,00.html
For new areas this is probably the number one thing you can do to improve your soil.
Tilling grass in usually doesn't work good unless your tiller is powerful enough to really break through the sod. Mine isn't, so I always dig the grass up first.
As far as making your soil better. Another inch of compost would be good. The more the better. If your soil was poor to begin with, just one inch may not do all that good.
I'd encourage you to look into double digging- https://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-19-934,00.html
For new areas this is probably the number one thing you can do to improve your soil.
