How to properly dig up the land in the garden and whether it is necessary - advice from agronomists and implementation rules. Pros and cons of digging a vegetable garden in the fall Why do you need autumn digging of land

It is deep autumn outside, the last root crops have been collected, and the earth is preparing for rest. At such a time, summer residents often think about whether it is necessary to dig up a vegetable garden in the fall, because after harvesting, all the vacated areas are already dug.

Digging purpose

Why bother digging up soil in the garden at all? For example, in autumn, it increases in volume by almost one and a half times due to porous air ducts. In the friability, carbon dioxide and oxygen contribute to plant residues to decompose quickly and create nutritious humus. In such a soil, the root system of crops easily penetrates deeply, finds moisture and food for itself, thanks to which the plants can withstand frosts and dry periods.

So, when is it better to dig a garden? There are many arguments on this matter, arguments and conclusions, too, and diametrically opposite ones.

Digging in the fall

The work is hard and not everyone enjoys it, but, according to experts, the turnover of the earth layer in autumn is necessary and for the following reasons:

in order to saturate the earth with useful microorganisms (and their number has already been calculated - ten kilograms per square meter), it is necessary to add organic matter - compost, humus, manure, rotted sawdust, ash, and all these benefits are introduced only during autumn digging

allow microorganisms and the earth to breathe, because it is air that helps the process of their reproduction

weed seeds will fall to a depth from which they cannot germinate in spring

weeds moved inland will rot and fertilize the soil

pests that are in the ground and prepared for hibernation (Colorado beetles, caterpillars, various wireworms), once on the surface, will die from the wind, the sun or will be eaten by birds

in the soil loosened in autumn, the activation and fixation of nitrogen-containing microorganisms occurs, they saturate the earth with plant forms of nitrogen

a layer of earth that falls to the top, saturated with fertilizers, minerals, that is, it seems to be useful for future plants

if there are trees on the site, their leaves are buried and become useful humus

after a dry summer and dry autumn, inverted clods of earth retain moisture, which is created by air, dew, condensation. And he, in turn, is obtained from the changes in warm daytime and cold night temperatures.

Without waiting for the autumn rains, you can immediately dig up the vacated areas of the garden. Then the nutrient organisms will begin to cultivate and improve the soil earlier.

Digging in the fall is saving time, which will come in handy when preparing vegetable gardens in spring and this is probably the strongest argument in solving the problem - when to dig a vegetable garden in autumn or spring.

Controversial aspects of autumn processing of the garden

Autumn digging today is a controversial issue, and experienced gardeners who prefer spring cultivation of the land also justify it:

when the soil layer is turned over in the fall, useful worms can die, but according to statistics, there are only ten percent of them, most of them are in clods that do not break in autumn

during spring digging, all processes are actively renewed, the soil at this time is able to give all its nutrients to new plants and grains

in order to avoid the weathering of food, moisture, in the spring the dug earth is immediately harrowed. Its structure allows this to be done, but in the fall this process is in no way possible, because during the summer period the earth is so compacted that it has to be crushed

fallen leaves - perfectly healthy trees on the site are now a rarity, therefore, with fallen leaves of fruit trees, during autumn digging, their pathogenic microbes can also get into the ground, they are preserved and wait in the wings. So with regard to fallen leaves, the answer is obvious - they need to be removed from the garden.

At the expense of the depth of digging, agricultural technicians have proven that it is the top five to ten centimeters of the soil layer that have one hundred percent usefulness, the further into the depths, the poorer the soil. Turning the layer over to the bayonet of a shovel, we bury the beneficial microorganisms in the fertile soil, and the top layer is destroyed, lifeless, and infertile. By nature, biological soil becomes passive from active, and it needs time to recover, which we simply do not give it, according to our annual habit.

It also happens that suddenly, in the allotted area for the garden, the fertile layer is small, and during deep digging, the sub-arable layer gets up. And it can consist of sand, podzolic non-fertile soil, clay. They, mixing with the already cultivated soil, reduce its fertility, and this area will constantly need additional fertilization.

Do you need an autumn digging of the garden?

And it depends on the composition of the soil. After all, each soil has its own density, and our crops need the optimal one.

For example, swampy land is favorable for vegetables because it is light. It is not necessary to dig it up in the fall, and it is useless. After the autumn digging, in the spring it will have to be processed with a roller in order to regulate the humidity, to create conditions for the beneficial development of the planted crops.

Chernozem - the composition is mechanically heavy, moisture-consuming, very dense. The obligatory depth of its plowing is up to thirty centimeters. Especially you have to work in heavily clogged areas, while it is necessary to apply fertilizers.

Sandy, sandy loam, peat soils do not need digging. And here, if we consider that only the top layer is useful, it is possible to cultivate such land with a small cultivator. You should not apply fertilizers to the entire area, this is a difficult, impractical occupation, because food is quickly washed off by precipitation, watering. It is more convenient and useful to apply precisely to the planned areas separated for vegetable crops or directly into the holes during spring planting.

You should also not adjust to your neighbors. Plots that are very close can be very different in type and humidity. Low-lying ones are damp, moist, they are well suited for arranging high beds, which will dry out faster and warm up better with the spring sun.

Light sod-podzolic soil, sandy loam is dry and not suitable for high beds. Plants will have a hard time from double drying out and will have to be watered more often. In this case, the usual landing is used, at ground level, and this is a saving of effort, time and the result is pleasing.

Labor-intensive activities, such as digging beds with the introduction of useful ash, lime, manure, the formation of sites for the necessary crops, are best carried out taking into account the above factors. Indeed, in the fall we have more time to prepare for the next summer cottage season and in his garden each gardener himself determines when, what and where to dig or not to dig.

Tips for a novice gardener: how to dig a vegetable garden "in winter"

(13.11.2011)

Among gardeners, there is no unequivocal opinion whether it is worth dripping a vegetable garden in the fall. Opponents of the autumn digging claim that in this way all the organic matter of the earth, created by worms and plant roots, is “killed”. In addition, according to them, the upper fertile layer of the earth may suffer from digging, since in the dug state it will be more blown up by the wind. Those who are sure that it is imperative to dig a garden before winter say that it is these very roots and bugs that need to be frozen.

All these disputes have a constructive basis. But in general, no specific advice is given for a simple gardener. To dig or not to dig a garden in the fall depends on many factors: on the structure of the soil, on the methods of its cultivation, on the crops that are planted, and so on. In this case, practice is more reliable than theory.

From personal experience, I can say that you need to dig a garden in the fall. In support, I will give several arguments and to them I will add tips on how to properly dig a vegetable garden "before winter". Digging a garden in the fall is necessary, if only because in the spring it will be easier to develop the soil for the beds. If the top layer of the soil is solid, then during the winter from precipitation it will "clog" so that it will be very difficult to make the earth soft. Most cultivated plants prefer "fluffy" soil. You need to dig up the entire vegetable garden where planting is planned for next year.

Digging "in winter" makes it possible to get rid of weeds. To do this, the ground must be turned over completely, so that the remnants of the grass cannot be seen on the surface. Having rotted away, these weeds will not be an extra fertilizer for the earth, but the roots that will freeze on the surface. You need to dig up the earth in large blocks, without breaking them. So the organic matter of the earth will not be greatly disturbed. At the same time, moisture will penetrate deeper into the soil. And in early spring, the earth dug up in large blocks will shake out faster and become suitable for planting.

It is better to use a pitchfork as a working tool than a shovel. It is worth fearing that the winter will be dry and frosty. This is bad for the soil, especially for dug up soil. Therefore, it is worth covering the beds, if possible, with fallen leaves, rotting, they will warm the earth.

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Do you often need to dig deep into the soil? Twice a year (often incorrectly) tillage and its continuous loosening in summer do not improve, as many gardeners believe, but spray the soil structure. This means that such deep tillage in the garden should not be abused without the need for such deep tillage, although in the fall on heavy clay soil it is practically impossible to do without it.

Digging of heavy soil to a depth of no more than 15 cm should be done only in autumn, and not turning the soil, but only shifting it and removing the roots of perennial weeds.

Leveling the land in autumn

An obligatory operation is leveling, which refers to surface tillage. It is usually produced during spring processing using a rake. When the soil is dry enough, you need to level its surface to reduce the evaporation of water from the spring melt of snow. To do this, they break up the clods of earth left in the fall and evenly distribute the entire volume of soil over the site with a rake, at the same time you can scatter mineral fertilizers and level them together with the ground. The rake is driven back and forth with constant effort, smooth continuous movements, making sure that the tines slide along the soil surface without digging it. Pre-dug soil is leveled

Fresh articles about garden and vegetable garden

by reciprocating rake movements, first in one, and then in a perpendicular direction. With a rake, they usually lightly cover the seeds after sowing, displace the soil into the furrows, collect leaves, dry grass, last year's mulch, any debris on the site.

When to till the soil in autumn

There are several ways to cultivate the soil in autumn using this technology, both with the use of EM-solution and with the use of EM-compost. But there is one general condition: the higher the soil temperature, the more actively microorganisms work. Therefore, the sooner you cultivate the soil, the more benefits they will bring.

The first method is to weed the weeds and, without removing them, treat the soil with an EM-preparation solution. Microorganisms immediately start to work, decomposing the cut parts of the plants and the roots remaining in the ground. Weed seeds germinate together, with the onset of frost the seedlings die.

Method two: treat the wet soil with an EM-preparation solution, loosen it by 5-7 cm and cover it with a layer of fallen leaves, plucked grass (mulch). Decaying roots and mulch will make the soil much more fertile and improve its structure by spring.

What gives land cultivation in autumn

First of all, this simplifies and facilitates planting in the spring. Even those who are against such an event agree with this. After all, when the last vegetables are collected, the cold weather is still quite far away. And if the weather is warm, then the beds are overgrown with weeds. This means that if you do not remove them now, then next season it will be more difficult to combat the dominance of weeds. During autumn tillage, a good water-air regime is created for plants;

The thermal properties of the soil are also improved in spring, the land will ripen faster for planting.

The pluses of the autumn work can be attributed to the fact that the remains of stems, stones and other debris were removed ahead of time.

Dig or not dig a vegetable garden by autumn

And the black earth is his work. How does a worm do it? Feels hunger, rises to the surface, grabs plant residues along with the ground, goes down, passing them through itself along the way, then frees itself from waste products. And so in a circle.

During its movement, the worm leaves behind a passage that has an exit to the surface of the earth. This passage, it turns out, is filled with air and waste products of the worm - roughly speaking, its manure.

Tillage in autumn with a walk-behind tractor

Sideways deviations often occur - these are drifts, which usually occur on furrows that have already been cultivated. Hence, another question may arise - how to properly plow with a walk-behind tractor so that the rotating knives do not go into the ground? Only appropriate manipulation of the handles can help in this. Unfortunately, careful monitoring must be on any soil. So, on loose soil, it is necessary to ensure that the cutters do not sink too deeply, and in the process of working hard soil and virgin soil, it may be necessary to perform several approaches. It is desirable to carry out the first treatment at low speeds, while it is important to adjust the position of the opener accordingly.

Top dressing of mineral fertilizers in the soil in autumn

These inorganic substances are obtained during chemical reactions that are controlled by humans, or are extracted from the bowels of the earth. Mineral fertilizers are potash, nitrogen and phosphorus. Moreover, they can contain various micro and macro elements necessary for the normal life of trees.

Saltpeters: calcium, sodium and ammonium;

Urea;

Ammonium sulfate.

Ash feeding

You can make ash yourself. Just burn the weeds, tops and branches and scatter about 1 kilogram for each square meter of soil, then dig up the ground. This is done once every 3 years. They love this kind of food:

strawberry;
raspberries;
currant;
cabbage;
potato.

Don't overdo it with ash. This is dangerous because the plants will begin to rot after planting.

Application of organic fertilizers to the soil in autumn

Humus. From organic fertilizers, humus, chicken droppings, compost are usually applied in the fall. On poor soils, fresh manure is applied up to 300-500 kg per hundred square meters. In September-October, they are scattered over the allotted area and embedded in the soil.

Chicken droppings. Concentrated organic fertilizer. Applied directly under the root, the fertilizer burns the root system of plants. For feeding, bird droppings are bred and used in the form of a liquid solution for feeding.

Compost. Compost is an organic fertilizer obtained from plant and animal waste with the addition of soil and (if any) peat.

Green fertilizers or green manures. Green fertilizers, or green manures, are also organic fertilizers. Podzimnye green manures are sown after harvesting the main harvest in the fall for digging or leaving until the spring soil preparation. They are used on heavy crumbling soils for loosening (rapeseed, oats, phacelia, mustard, rape and others).

Weed control by fall

Chemical destruction of weeds is carried out in calm and cloudy weather. For these purposes I use Roundup herbicide. Before spraying the weeds, I cover the nearby useful crops with a film, otherwise they may die along with the weeds.

When it comes time to cultivate a vegetable garden, be it spring or autumn digging or harrowing, most gardeners clutch their heads in despair. This rather complicated and time-consuming procedure without knowledge of its rules can even turn into a real nightmare. It is especially difficult for beginners who take up a shovel like a foreign object. Fortunately, there are convenient and proper ways to cultivate the land to help you make this process easier.

How to dig correctly, instructions

Most gardeners advise when digging or planting to dig to the depth of the entire bayonet of the shovel. This will help to turn the top soil with weed seeds, mineral and organic fertilizers, which have been sprinkled on the ground, to the bottom of the formed hole.

In autumn, the most effective method of the pass - digging up the earth in furrows 40 cm wide, but not more than the width of a shovel bayonet. The area to be dug is mentally divided into two parts. The first row of furrows is dug, then the second row is buried. Thus, the layers of the soil are saturated with oxygen and nutrients. This method is also recommended if you fertilize the soil with manure or compost.

Having previously scattered it over the territory of the garden, dig up the ground to distribute it evenly. The "bed" of manure is also effective: put manure on the bottom of the furrow and sprinkle it with earth. If the soil in your garden needs lime, then it cannot be mixed with manure - they can enter into a chemical reaction.

Important! Lime should be scattered over the surface of the site without digging.

It is best to dig up the soil by keeping the bayonet of the shovel upright. This will increase the cultivated soil layer due to deep penetration and facilitate breast separation.

Is it necessary and when to dig the ground in autumn

This issue is a stumbling block for most gardeners. Some believe that digging a vegetable garden in the fall is not rational, while others, following traditional methods of cultivating the land, argue that this will increase yields next year. We will give several arguments that will help you answer the question of whether it is necessary to dig the earth in the fall.

Benefits of autumn digging is that the top layer of leaves, twigs and other plant elements enters the inner sphere of the soil and rotates during the winter, and the larvae of many insect pests rise to the surface of the earth and die from birds or winter frosts. The soil is enriched with nitrogenous microorganisms, which are activated by oxygen.

The downside isthat when you dig up the soil, you bury weed seeds, helping them to overwinter and rise in the spring.

Important! During the autumn digging, you need to fence the site.

As you know, it is recommended to dig up the earth correctly in the fall no deeper than 10 cm, since with deeper penetration, useful substances erode.

There is no unequivocal opinion about the autumn digging. The plus is that the top layer of the earth will not be so compacted during the winter, and in the spring it will take you less time to prepare the soil for planting.

It is also necessary to dig up the earth in the fall because the soil needs replenishment before winter. When the first rains come, it is too late to dig up the ground, in autumn this period falls at the end of October. So it's best to be in time by the middle of this month.

Do I need to dig up the site in spring

When digging up a vegetable garden in the spring, you must take into account the fact that the soil has hardened over the winter.

How to properly dig up the soil in spring? If you worked the soil in the fall, then in the spring you only need to harrow the soil. In this way, moisture reserves are preserved, preventing the drying of the upper layers of the soil.

Important! You need to dig up the ground in the spring not deeply, half a bayonet with a shovel.

Shallow digging will help preserve the substances that you buried in the fall in the soil.All humus, fertilizers, compost will be an excellent basis for your harvest. The enriched soil is known to promote active germination of seeds and their preservation in case of frost.

Did you know? In the spring, you do not need to dig up the entire area: it is better to leave the paths, and then the weeds will annoy less.

What is a sole and how to get rid of it

The sole is a layer of compacted soil that results from frequent digging of the garden to the same depth.

The formation of soles is susceptible to heavy soils (sod-podzol, clayey) and waterlogged. It is recommended to carry out a two-tiered digging of the territory every 4-6 years.

Important! Two-tier digging must not be abused. Useful substances are eroded.

The sole inhibits the growth of many root plants: celery, carrots, beets, onions, parsley, etc., and deforms their roots.

If the sole is strongly compacted, then water stagnation occurs, which contributes to the development of unfavorable bacteria and microorganisms, which subsequently affect the development of vegetables.

Two-tier digging of the garden will help to get rid of the sole.It is advisable to carry it out in the fall, so that during the winter and spring periods, useful microflora can form. To do this, you need to dig a furrow to the width of the bayonet of your shovel and loosen its bottom with a garden pitchfork. In this case, the soil along the edges of the furrow should also be loosened. Then you can add compost or manure. As a result of such digging, the arable layer increases, and the earth is saturated with oxygen necessary for the development of useful substances, its physical and water properties improve.

Did you know? With a two-tiered digging, the top layer of low-fertile soil is not taken out.

How to properly dig virgin soil

Virgin land is land that has not been cultivated in any way, has not been plowed by anyone and, on the one hand, is wild.

If you have such a site, then this is a great reason to process it and get moral and physical satisfaction from the results. Once you have gathered the strength, tools, and inspiration, you can start right there. But keep in mind that this is a terrible work and test.

Important! When choosing a site, you should make sure of the amenities that are nearby: water, a store, a gas station, roads.

You can process virgin soil both with the help of technology and on your own (it depends on your health). The method of processing with equipment is quite simple, but before you think that, except for a tractor, there is nothing to dig up virgin soil, remember about your arms and legs. An excellent tool, and most importantly, free, for the conquest of virgin lands.

Manual processing is a complex and time consuming process. First of all, you need to choose the right season. The autumn digging period is perfect for such work. Since you need to clear weeds from your abandoned area to cultivate virgin lands, start by choosing a petrol cutter. You can take the usual one, but then the duration of the work will increase.

Important! It is necessary to mow grass and weeds on virgin soil before mechanical processing.

You will also need a shovel. It is best to dig up virgin soil in parts, dividing it with a thread. You need to dig to a depth of at least 15 cm. We leave the dug area to dry out for a while. Then you need to walk along it with a pitchfork and fluff the ground.

When digging virgin lands, it is important to be patient, because such a business, due to its complexity, remains often abandoned.

Is it possible to facilitate the digging process

First of all, you need to choose the right shovel. Its handle must be strong, smooth and sufficiently polished. This will protect you from damage to your palms and unexpected breakages. The bayonet blade must be sharpened well - then the process will go faster.

You also need to protect yourself from injuries (rubbed calluses, splinters). Gloves for work should have rubberized palms, then the hand will not slide over the smooth handle.Choose shoes with a closed type with a firm sole, as with thin shoes it may be painful for you to press your foot on the shovel.

Since there are many ways to make it easier to dig a garden, let's start with the simplest thing - how you hold the tool.

The shovel must be placed vertically, with a bayonet to the ground.Press on the shovel tray with your foot, while firmly holding the handle with both hands. The shovel bayonet must be driven to the depth required for the type of digging - full length or half. The working leg can be chosen at your discretion. Usually right-handers use the right, and left-handers, respectively, use the left.

According to the rules, the shovel and its bayonet should be perpendicular to the ground, since you cannot dig deep into the soil at an angle. It is better to maintain an average digging pace.

The process of digging and cultivating the land is quite difficult, but by adhering to simple and useful tips, you will greatly simplify your seasonal work. Do not be afraid to experiment - tillage is based more on experience and personal observation than on rules and regulations.

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The most difficult occupation in agricultural work is preparing the land for planting. This applies to both a small garden and a large plot. But nowhere to go, you have to dig a garden to plant a crop. A wide variety of agricultural tools are used for digging.

For many years, a shovel and a pitchfork have been used to dig up a vegetable garden, but recently new devices have been invented that facilitate the hard work of summer residents and gardeners. Let's figure out which of the garden tools is the most effective and allows you to dig up a garden quickly and easily.

Ordinary shovel

In order to dig up a vegetable garden, many still use a shovel. Although this is the most common inventory, it is still not particularly easy to use. Digging up a vegetable garden, you have to make an effort, and if you dig a large area, then in the evening you can not straighten out. All due to the fact that when working with a shovel, the muscles of the back are strained, and this can adversely affect the general well-being.

The shovel is most suitable for sandy soils, it is very difficult to dig black soil. The downside is the weight of the shovel, if you buy a titanium shovel, it will be much easier and more convenient to work.

Ordinary pitchfork

Another equally well-known garden tool that is used to dig up the ground is a pitchfork. They are most conveniently used for digging up chernozem. Unlike a shovel, a pitchfork completely removes weeds without leaving roots. Due to the wide arrangement of the teeth, the worms are not destroyed. The disadvantages of a pitchfork and a shovel are a small digging area, the load on the arms, back and legs, only healthy and hardy men can dig with them.

Miracle shovel ripper "Mole"

Nowadays, the production of agricultural machinery is so developed that it is not necessary to bend your back to work your area.

For this, an excellent tool was invented, like a miracle shovel ripper Mole. It is twice as wide as a bayonet shovel. Consists of two pitchforks that loosen the ground when digging. No effort is needed when digging. There is no heavy load on the back. More productivity than a conventional shovel or fork.

Working with an ordinary shovel, you need to constantly lift it from the ground, you don't need to do this here. To dig a miracle with a shovel with a ripper, you need to apply force only with your foot, there is no load on the back. After digging, no lumps remain, so there is no need to go through with a rake. Not only men, but also women can use the miracle shovel.

Cons miracle shovel ripper "Mole"

A common shovel is used both for digging up the ground and for planting. The miracle shovel is used only for digging; it will not work to make depressions with it and dig in trees.

Ripper "Super-Excavator 7"

There is another agricultural tool that makes it easier to work on the site. This is a Super-Excavator 7 ripper. It is as easy to use as the Mole shovel, but it uses two cuttings. Otherwise, it performs the same functions as the miracle shovel.

The only difference is that the emphasis is made with two hands, which is much more convenient. Between the cuttings there is a jumper on which an emphasis is placed, called a handle. The most important thing is to set the handle height correctly before starting work. To make it convenient to work later.

Using a super excavator allows you to dig up the ground quickly and easily without harming your health. The main advantage of both the shovel miracle and the super excavator is the affordable price.

Agricultural machinery

To quickly and easily dig up a site, many use agricultural machinery. Recently, many have purchased a motor-cultivator, which can plow a large area of \u200b\u200bland in just a few hours. But here you need to decide which one is better to choose.

If you have a small piece of land, you can purchase an electric cultivator that even a woman can operate. For a large area, it is better to purchase a petrol powered cultivator. For the speed of processing the site, walk-behind tractors are also used. But a walk-behind tractor has much more functions than a cultivator.

With the help of a walk-behind tractor, you can plant and harvest potatoes, mow the grass, dig and huddle the land, take out the harvested crop from the garden. The only drawback of agricultural machinery is the price, so give preference to the more affordable and new models for manual work.

Create conditions for yourself, thanks to which you will enjoy working in your garden.

How to properly dig the earth with a shovel?

Only at first glance it seems that digging with a shovel is a rather simple process, but, however, not quick. But actually it is not. The presence of aching calluses and lower back pain after working with a shovel is a consequence of a violation of the correct digging technique. This article will tell you about the rules for using a shovel and how to quickly dig a hole on your own and many other nuances.

Correct technique

It is necessary to dig correctly at least in order to make the whole process much easier and faster.

As a child, many have seen how to use a shovel. The basic movements remain the same, but you need to pay attention to one main point - you cannot lift the instrument with the ground using your wrists. You need to try to hook the end of the handle with your elbow, thereby giving an additional impulse, due to which the load on the back and joints of a person will decrease. Following this simple rule, you can dig up a large vegetable garden without any problems.

During the entire working process, the back should remain straight, and the center of gravity should be in the middle, otherwise in the morning you can wake up sick and weak.

The position of the leading hand can be alternately changed, while maintaining the necessary balance.

This technique becomes especially useful and necessary for large-scale and long-term work, for example, when it is necessary to dig a garden or remove large amounts of snow in the winter season.

Subtleties

The most important nuance is the correct selection of the tool - you need to choose it yourself for yourself. If the shovel is too large and heavy, then subsequent pain in the back and throughout the body is inevitable. If the length of the cutting reaches the elbow when it is stuck into the ground by about 20-25 cm, then it is selected correctly and for the height of a person.

The bayonet of the tool should be sharp and well-sharpened for easier penetration into the soil.

It is best to take not a square shovel, but a rounded one, since the latter option cuts through the ground better.

It is not necessary that the angle of the bayonet to the soil during penetration be straight - it all depends on the purpose of the digging. For loosening the soil, 45 degrees, shallow penetration and scrolling movements are enough. Right angle movements are best done when digging a trench or hole.

Most shovels can be sharpened with ease with coarse sandpaper. There are other ways to sharpen a shovel: with a knife and a rasp.

How to dig up an overgrown area?

The instrument itself plays an important role in this matter. It is best to purchase a model made of titanium and a non-classical shape, the so-called miracle shovel. This tool is great for loosening or digging up the soil layer. It is an iron frame, on opposite sides of which there are pitchfork grids directed one to the other.

The operation of this simple device is as follows: some forks penetrate the ground, while the other is a lever for them. The frame serves as a support for two pairs of forks.

You can loosen the earth with a miracle shovel in much less time than with a simple option. In addition, the advantage is the fact that by loosening the soil in this way you can get rid of weeds.

Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the following point: a miracle shovel can neither dig a hole, nor process wetlands.

How to dig a hole?

This special digging technique is used by soldiers to dig trenches quickly and efficiently. They use a compact sapper shovel.

The basis of this technique is that you need to cut the soil of small thickness - 3-4 cm each. Such small cuts are easier to dig and throw further than a full joint of the soil.

With this technique, you can work for several hours and dig more than one hole without much fatigue.

Any soil, including clay and peat, easily lends itself to this method of digging.

How to properly dig frozen ground?

It is no secret that domestic winters are quite harsh, and the land, like most water bodies, freezes to a considerable depth.

There are several ways to dig a hole out of frozen soil.

The first and proven method is fairly easy to use, but can be quite time consuming. Before digging, you need to make a fire in the place of the pit. After waiting for it to go out, you should start digging. After the top layer is removed, you need to build a fire again already in the hole and continue digging to the desired depth.
Another proven method is using a jackhammer. If it is not possible to purchase a jackhammer, then you can rent it. With the help of a jackhammer, it is enough to remove only the upper frozen layer of the earth, and then you should continue to work with a shovel.
The next way is to use a pickaxe. It is a hand-held percussion tool specially designed for tough and even rocky ground. But a pickaxe alone will not be enough - a shovel is needed.

The modern market for garden tools offers many different models of shovels: gardening, construction, loading and unloading. Each of the varieties has its own characteristic features that make this or that work much easier and faster.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that most of the recommendations and rules can be used while working with a pitchfork. In some cases, they can also serve as a shovel, but with only one difference: if the shovel cuts the ground, then the forks are more likely to break it off.

You can watch the video below how to properly dig the earth with a shovel.

Do I need to dig a garden in the fall? We understand the intricacies of autumn digging

Adding an article to a new collection

After a busy summer season, I want to relax as soon as possible and, if possible, reduce the list of works. One of them - the digging of land in the fall - was recently carried out by all gardeners and was considered very important.

And now more and more often the question arises: is this really a necessary procedure, is it worth spending time and effort on it, or can you do only with spring digging? So, let's finally find out whether it is necessary to dig up a vegetable garden in the fall and understand all the intricacies of this work.

Preparing the beds in the fall for the new season is one of the most important conditions for obtaining a rich harvest. During the winter, the soil is saturated with minerals that were brought in for digging. Snow quickly saturates the beds with moisture, while the dug soil itself is not compacted. As a result, in the spring it is much easier to carry out preparatory work before planting. Time and effort are significantly saved. But that's not all the advantages of digging!

Why dig up the ground in the garden - the advantages of the procedure

Have summer residents been mistaken for decades, starting to dig the earth with a shovel in the fall? It is fair to say no. Digging has many advantages, some of which are quite obvious, while others are not so noticeable, but they also make a useful contribution. So, digging is useful in that:

during work, it is easier to add the necessary mineral and organic fertilizers, deoxidize the soil, the effect of these procedures will increase many times;
weeds will not get a chance for free wintering, and their seeds will not get further development, due to the fact that they will be deep in the soil;
garden pests and their larvae, pathogenic bacteria, once on the surface, quickly die from cold, wind or exposure to chemicals, and birds do not mind eating insects;
the soil becomes looser, water and air permeable, during the winter it is more easily saturated with moisture and not too compacted, and warms up faster in the spring;
it becomes possible to clear the site of weeds, leaves, stones and other debris, which creates many problems in spring.

As you can see, digging is important and brings many benefits. But where there are pluses, there will always be minuses.

Do I need to dig up the ground in the fall in the garden - the disadvantages of digging

And now let's consider what are the disadvantages of digging the soil, why the adherents of organic farming so disliked it.

The soil is home to many living organisms, and each of them has its own place in this “kingdom”. When digging, not only harmful inhabitants appear on the surface, but also useful ones, those thanks to which the soil retains its fertility. By depriving the beds of “good” bacteria and insects, we thereby impoverish the soil. And, alas, it is not easy to restore soil fertility.

There is also the possibility that weed seeds will still survive under the soil and overwinter safely until spring. In addition, with deep and frequent digging, a less nutritious soil layer rises to the surface, the structure of the soil is disturbed, and it loses its physical properties.

And, finally, digging is hard work that has a bad effect on the condition of the back, heart and health in general, if the summer resident is not very physically prepared. Mechanized digging also requires considerable effort and preparation.

When you really need to dig a garden

As you can see, digging has enough pros and cons. But in fact, it all depends on two factors: the type of soil on the site and the climate in your area. In other words, the disadvantages will clearly manifest themselves if you dig where it is not needed at all, and vice versa.

If the soil on the site is heavy, clayey and uncultivated, then digging in the fall is extremely desirable. But loose and light soils are easy enough to loosen. Sandy soil needs only spring processing.

In regions with a hot climate, the soil is drier and does not require frequent digging, and in humid and cold regions of the country, this procedure is necessary, because the soil under the influence of natural conditions becomes compacted and becomes unsuitable for growing cultivated plants. And although adherents of organic farming often cite the example of a forest ecosystem, where everything grows on its own without digging and fertilizing, do not forget that varietal and hybrid vegetables are unable to survive in such conditions. In other words, certain conditions are needed to obtain a crop, which are created on personal plots. Therefore, first of all, observe the condition of the soil and plants.

When is it better to dig a garden - timing

We hope you are convinced that tillage in the fall is still necessary. But not every summer resident knows how and when to dig a garden in order to get a positive effect. This should be done after harvest, when late-ripening crops and all plant residues are removed. It is advisable to carry out work before the end of October - early November, depending on weather conditions. It is not worth delaying the work too much, so that the soil does not seize the first frosts. Ideally, if you can finish digging before heavy rains.

How to properly dig up the soil in the fall in the garden

Depending on the crop that will be planted next year, the appropriate depth of soil digging is also chosen:

25-30 cm (on a shovel bayonet) - for potatoes, beets, carrots, pumpkins, melons and parsley;
5-10 cm - for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, radishes and legumes.

It is advisable not to turn the soil layers, but to shift them among themselves in order to preserve as much useful microflora as possible. Weed roots are best removed rather than buried. Such a digging is much easier. But if the soil is very hard and rocky, you will have to do two-tier digging for two shovel bayonets. And here it is no longer possible to do without turning over the soil layers. But it is worth resorting to such digging only as a last resort.

Use a shovel, pitchfork or cultivator as digging tools.

Shovel. Used in small areas up to 10 acres. A budget option that will perfectly cope with different types of soil, but rather laborious.

Pitchfork. Allows you to achieve a finer soil structure, which is pleasant for young plants, but is not always achieved with a shovel. It also takes effort.

Cultivator. The soil quickly becomes loose, the roots of plants feel great in it. It will save time and effort when working on a large area, but it will not cope with very heavy soils, and it is not cheap.

If the garden requires digging, but there is no way to do it, sow siderates. They loosen the soil to a depth of 2 m, saturate it with useful elements and reduce the activity of pathogenic microflora. And in winter they will keep the snow well and will not let the beds freeze out.

Whether to dig a garden in the fall, each summer resident decides for himself. If you have a heavy clay soil on the site, then it is better to dig, and if it is loose and light, you can do only with the spring procedure, replacing the autumn digging with deep loosening. To reduce the load on the soil microflora, dig it every few years as needed.

Do-it-yourself quick digging of the garden with handy tools

In our country, a piece of land is a hobby, earnings, and sometimes a means of survival. You can really grow organic food on it, and this is very important these days. But as a rule, the harvest begins with the correct digging of the site for planting. Not everyone and not everywhere have the opportunity to hire a technique for this, and often a shovel or pitchfork is the only tool that will help you with this. And if you have a virgin land on your site? Is it possible to dig it up yourself and not ruin your health at the same time? Here are the options for shovels for various soils and will be discussed now.

Choosing the right tool

If you want to know how to quickly dig up a vegetable garden, then thanks to this article you can find a lot of interesting things. Fortunately, our land on the Kulibins has not yet become impoverished, they are constantly inventing simple improvements for shovels or pitchforks, with the help of which digging up the earth becomes not such a labor-intensive task for health.

Pitchfork.

For the purpose of digging, as a rule, forks are intended - diggers, they have shorter teeth and they are forged. In addition, after the pitchfork, there are no large clods of soil that still need to be broken. And part of the soil passes through their teeth and there will be no need to lift excess soil mass. On the basis of the pitchfork, many new models have been invented, with which digging will be possible even for pensioners or people with disabilities.

For clayey or damp soils, the pitchfork is just what you need. Extra earth will not stick to them, and it will be much easier to just stick them into such soils. In a heavily overgrown area, it is also better to choose a pitchfork for digging. They will enter the ground much more easily, and the weeds will pull out along with the root, and not chop it up like shovels. From the remnants of these roots, a new weed will certainly grow. And the pitchfork will remove it, as they say, "by the root."

For deep, two-tiered digging with loosening of the lower layers of the earth, forks are also irreplaceable. And yet, simple pitchforks are good in small areas or in hard-to-reach corners, but for large open spaces, many devices based on them were invented, which we will talk about below.

Shovels.

Now we will learn how to quickly dig up a garden with a shovel. For its better entry into the soil, especially into virgin soil, regular sharpening is required. And also, in addition to digging, the shovel will serve you when digging holes or ditches. But still, as a rule, after the shovel, it will be necessary to additionally process the area with a pitchfork. And the most reliable shovel option is titanium, especially on clay, virgin or stony soils.

With a properly selected shovel, for minimal effort on your part, the handle should reach the elbow with the blade immersed in the ground by 20-25 cm. There are shovels with a special grip, it will be convenient especially for those people who have weak fingers. A rounded blade makes digging easier and better digs into the ground than a straight blade.

"Mole" - a miracle - a shovel.

It was the desire to facilitate the hard work when digging the ground that led to the emergence of a large number of various devices based on ordinary shovels or pitchforks, even there are models - hybrids. The mole is just one of these new phenomena in the processing of plots.

It consists of two opposite forks with a width of 43-55 cm and a number of teeth 6-9. Working (moving) teeth are attached to the bed, on which the second teeth are made motionless (according to the principle of jaws). And the foot rest is also attached to the bed for convenience of work.

So, you tilt the handle first towards yourself and then down.

In the second movement, the movable forks are driven through the second layer of earth, while it is loosened and freed from weeds. With proper digging, the layers of the earth do not mix with each other. This is exactly what happens when the Mole is working - the top layer of the soil does not move anywhere, but at the same time it loosens perfectly.

The Mole itself weighs about 4.5 kg, but in the work of this weight you will not feel, as well as a significant load on the back. This miracle - you can simply drag the shovel around the site without lifting it. But it is by its weight that it simplifies the introduction of the working tool into the soil.

By saving energy, you can increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe excavated area. With such a shovel, it is quite possible to process 1-2 acres of land in 1 hour, and at the same time practically not get tired. For women or elderly summer residents, such a shovel is just a godsend.

But this option is good for digging up already cultivated flower beds or beds, it is not entirely suitable for virgin soil. In the greenhouse, it will also not be very comfortable, its handle is still too high.

Ripper Excavator.

In the Excavator, the principle of double pitchfork is also preserved. But he also has differences from the Mole:

2 cuttings are connected into one on the handle.
the emphasis under the foot is increased, which also increased the processed area.
counter forks are hinged and both are movable, there is simply no fixed bed.

In general, the principle of operation of the Excavator is almost identical to that of the Mole. But due to the wider working part, it is great for large areas, for example, for a potato plantation, but for narrow beds it will not be very convenient.

Shovel Tornado.

Another type of Mole with a similar principle of action. In addition to the shovel, this brand still produces quite a few garden tools.

For example, the Tornado ripper, it is already quite famous among gardeners. It is a long post with rounded handles on one end and sharp teeth on the other, which are twisted clockwise.

Perfectly loosens the ground to a depth of 20 cm. And the handle can be adjusted to any height of the person working with it.

It is quite compact, which gives it advantages in small or not very convenient areas, under trees or bushes, while it is better not to use it in large areas.

Miracle - rotary pitchfork.

We can say that this is a more advanced version of the Tornado. The handle is the same T-shaped, which is also adjustable for any height. But below, a pitchfork is attached to the handle, they are stuck into the ground and the handle is turned like a lever. When working with it, the back and legs practically do not get tired, but it will be completely uncomfortable to work with it on heavy or rocky soil.

Fokin's flat cutter.

If you do not know how to dig up a garden overgrown with grass, then the advice of this publication will be useful. The next instrument has been known since the end of the last century. He gained popularity and love for himself due to his lightness and versatility.

They can perform the following types of work:

hilling.
cutting of ditches of various sizes for different needs.
loosening the soil.
the formation of ridges.
crushing large lumps of soil.
removal of weeds.

According to the size of the blades, there are several options for a flat cutter. If you have several different ones, you can process both large tracts and small secluded or inconvenient corners of your garden city.

Manual cultivator.

In general, cultivators are designed for digging, loosening and creating beds in areas. There are 3 types of them:

root removers.
star or rotary.
rippers.

Several star-shaped rippers are put on the axis of the star version. One has only to push and start the movement of the unit, and these rippers will begin to rotate and loosen the soil while removing weeds.

But on heavy clay soils, such a cultivator is unlikely to please you with its efficiency. Here you will need a cultivator - ripper. Several short-toothed curved shapes are installed on it. So they will save your strength when developing a clay area. And the root removers are ideal for spot loosening of the soil, for removing weeds that have a deep and powerful root, and for preparing holes for planting.

Ideal depth when digging a site

Now you know how you can dig a garden. Now it is important to talk about other points. It has long been believed that the optimal depth is on the bayonet of a shovel, that is, by 20-25 cm. More modern farmers believe that 4-5 cm will be quite enough and natural. This will be enough for sowing seeds, and the roots will further deepen themselves to the depth they need. But with this approach, you will need to mulch the plantings 10-15 cm thick

But when cultivating virgin lands, anyway, you will have to dig up the site properly for the first time, at least to remove deep rhizomes of weeds, which will noticeably deprive those cultivated plants that you plant.

Fast and easy digging of the site

To cope with this task with minimal effort on your part, the algorithm of actions should be as follows:

Use pegs and threads to mark the required area of \u200b\u200bthe site.
On one side of the perimeter, a trench, width and depth, is launched onto a shovel bayonet.
The soil from the ditch should be immediately cleared of stones, debris and weeds.
Such soil is put in a separate place for further use.
Now, parallel to the first groove, we dig in the second. We put the earth from it in the first groove.
So we continue to the end of the marked area.
Load the deposited earth from the first groove into the last groove.

Rapid cultivation of virgin land

This land has not been cultivated for ten years or more. Sod over the years has been growing, be healthy and makes it much more difficult to process such a neglected area. Sowing and caring for plantings without prior tillage will be a fruitless endeavor. But comfort yourself with the thought that the land that has rested over the years has accumulated nutrients and will gladly put them into your harvest, after its cultivation, of course.

Of the fastest options for cultivating virgin lands, we can advise you on bulk beds. We lay cardboard on the right place of virgin soil, and pour herbicides into the aisles. Now we pour fertile soil onto the cardboard, and sow seeds or plant seedlings.

The method is quick, but costly on the budget, because fertile land will have to buy, perhaps, more than one car. If time is still running out, try another option. Cover the required area with cardboard boxes, press them down with a load and leave them for the whole summer.Under the cardboard, all the green mass will rot and rot, and in the fall it will be possible to cultivate any of the shovels or pitchforks described above. Alternatively, you can cut out layers of turf and immediately turn them over with the grass down. Potatoes can be planted in the cracks between the pastes, and after sprouting, they are abundantly mulched with organic matter. In the fall, you will also collect the potatoes, and the site for next year will already be prepared for normal processing.

Making the right beds

It is not necessary to strain yourself on the site, trying to bring it into a "working" state in one day. A few relevant tips on this topic will reduce your labor costs:

Do not walk on the newly dug area, especially if the seeds have already been sown there AND protect it from being trampled by children or pets.
And it is better to dig it up in a few steps, especially if you did not strain physically all winter.
Stick the shovel into the ground perpendicular to it, then it will easily enter the desired depth, that is, the entire bayonet.
And do not try to take out the maximum amount of soil with a shovel, your back will not withstand so long. It is better then to take less land, but more often.
It is better not to start digging immediately after the snow melts, because if the ground has thawed, it is still very wet, which means it is heavy. Wait a few days for it to dry out a little.

Digging a heavily overgrown area.

Do not be afraid, the virgin soil need not be raised. It is enough to spill the area with herbicides, and then, after a few weeks, dig it up. And after a week, add mineral fertilizers to it and loosen it up. Now you can start landing on it.

If you need to dig up a frozen area.

It is better, of course, not to perform such feats, but there are such life circumstances that there is simply no other way. Then we will give you some detailed advice on this topic:

Make a fire in the right place. The earth will warm up, thaw and then it will be possible to dig it up.
With a jackhammer or a pickaxe, remove the still frozen surface of the soil, then the soil that is no longer frozen will go, it can already be dug up normally.
Autumn digging of the site. Is it really necessary

Some gardeners do not know the answer to the question of whether it is necessary to dig up the land in the fall. Now, if you just bought your site in the fall, and it is in a virgin state, then the autumn digging is simply necessary for him. And the best way is to dig it up in larger layers and you can leave it for the winter. The frosty cold will perfectly penetrate the cracks between the clods of earth and destroy the roots or weed seeds. And when digging, it is better to immediately add phosphorus preparations for the soil, in the spring your plantings will really need them.

Another plus of the autumn digging is that after it the earth will be perfectly saturated with oxygen, it will also be very useful for the roots of your plants.

If you are lucky, and you got an already treated area, then you can not dig it up in the fall, but it is desirable to cover it with a layer of mulch, in the spring it will serve as an excellent fertilizer.

Finally.

So, you have familiarized yourself with the options for improved shovels and pitchforks for every taste, now you will not have to break your back in the garden, as before, during the spring preparation of the site for planting.

Stop digging the beds! 5 reasons to make your life easier in the country

A garden for the lazy: why digging is harmful

Galina Kizima is an enthusiastic gardener with 50 years of experience, author of original techniques

Spring is early this year, and very soon the first crop will be harvested - greens, onions, young beets and potatoes. You have already decided what to sow in the vacated beds, only the earth needs to be dug up. Stop! We are not on the collective farm, but at the dacha. Let's try to get pleasure from working in the garden - to make our work easier and at the same time increase soil fertility. Let's try. do not dig. There are at least five reasons for this.

Reason one: digging deprives the soil of living organisms

We are used to thinking of the earth as inorganic matter, that is, inanimate, and we treat it accordingly. And the soil is a very complex living organism with its own hierarchical structure, its own laws of community, densely populated with microorganisms and lower animal organisms, such as, for example, earthworms.

When digging to the depth of a shovel bayonet, turning the layer over, we change places in the soil layers, and each type of microorganism finds itself in an unfavorable environment for itself. Most of them die, and the soil devoid of microorganisms loses fertility. And at the same time, it is completely useless to apply any fertilizers until its population is restored.

Losing its inhabitants, the soil, along with them, loses its structure. This soil is washed away by the rains and carried away by the winds. You probably have your own experience on this issue. Remember: you are pouring a large pile of earth, for example, removed from where you are going to build a house, and then you want to use it for the beds. And suddenly you discover that for some reason the soil has become barren, although you have piled mostly sod into this heap.

Thanks to the use of agricultural machinery, today we have almost completely ruined the most fertile lands on the entire planet and an inexorable decline in soil fertility. You and I cannot enlighten all mankind, but we ourselves are quite capable of suspending destructive agriculture and restoring the lost natural soil fertility on our own sites.

Reason two: digging disturbs the structure of the soil

When digging up the soil, we break all microchannels through which moisture and air penetrate into the arable layer. As a result, moisture and air do not enter the zone of sucking roots, and normal plant nutrition is disrupted. The roots literally suffocate, the plant weakens. What a harvest there.

How are these microchannels formed in the soil? The fact is that the root system of plants is huge. It not only can go down to 2–5 m (in beets, for example, the central root can penetrate up to 3–4 m, and in cucumber - up to 1 m), but it also branches in all directions, and each of these roots is covered hundreds of thousands of sucking hairs, the total length of which can reach 5-10 km! As a result, every inch of the earth is literally riddled with these hairs.

When the aerial part of the plant dies off, soil microorganisms begin to eat the remains of the roots. As a result, microscopic channels are formed through which moisture penetrates, and after it is absorbed by the soil, air rushes through the channels into the soil. In addition, the worms make passages in the soil, which also serve as channels for water and air, only larger ones. Through all these passages, the roots of the next generation of plants easily penetrate deep into the soil.

We are strongly advised to do the autumn digging of the soil in order to destroy the pests that have settled down to winter in the surface layer of the soil, as well as to allow moisture to penetrate between the clods, freeze and expand the passages for spring water and air, which will rush into the soil layer through these cracks.

Yes, of course, some of the pests will die, but we will completely disrupt the system of water and air exchange, replacing it with several large cracks. In the spring, when we re-dig, we will finally destroy the channels created by roots and bacteria. With such a double digging, this entire complex system is destroyed, and the soil cakes in dry times so much that it literally has to be gouged.

Reason three: weed seeds

During the autumn digging, we bring all the seeds of weeds from the surface into the soil, where they remain until spring. And with repeated digging in the spring, we bring back to the surface overwintered weed seeds, which immediately begin to germinate.

Reason four: bare soil

After digging, we leave the surface of the soil "bare", and this leads to drying out and destruction of its uppermost layer. In addition, "a holy place is never empty," and weeds now begin to take their place under the sun. The soil should not be dug up, but covered from above with any mulching material.

The easiest way to do this is the way nature does it, that is, it covers the earth with organic remains. In autumn - fallen leaves and aerial parts of dead annuals. In the spring - young green growth.

Why is she doing this? In autumn - to return the organic matter consumed by plants to the soil and to cover the surface root system from frost (where there is frost). In spring - to cover the surface from direct sunlight, to protect the top layer from drying out and destruction.

Fifth reason: preserving humus

When digging, the upper, most fertile part of the soil containing humus turns out to be scattered throughout the entire thickness of the dug layer. Humus, as it were, is washed out or smeared, and since there is so little of it in poor soils, the fertility of the upper layer decreases. Humus always "floats" to the top layer. But when will that happen! Humus should be protected and valued highly, and not destroyed by digging.

What to do?

Of course, to grow, groom, cherish the inhabitants of the soil, and for this they must be well fed, throwing green organic matter at them, and loosened, only to loosen the soil so as not to harm them!

But how to make the earth loose in order to sow seeds, plant seedlings? Instead of a shovel, I suggest using a Fokin flat cutter. It has a pointed end - that's what you will make grooves, first along and then across, burying it into the soil by about 5 cm.Then, with the flat part of the plane cutter, slightly dig over this layer, cutting and immediately throwing the ground off the plane cutter. If necessary, then disassemble with a rake. By the way, the rake can also be used to loosen the topsoil.

You can do this work with a sharpened hoe, "Strizh" weeder and other devices. The only requirement for such tools is that they must be very well sharpened. These tools should not be buried below 5 cm in the soil, and they should not stir the seams.

This is how we get rid of the most laborious work on earth - digging the earth. Next time, let's talk about whether it is possible to do without weeding and watering.

With the end of the harvest season, gardeners are wondering whether it is necessary to dig up the ground in the fall in the garden. Over the years, a tradition has developed after harvesting to dig up the ground. Recently, the opinion has appeared and has begun to spread actively that such actions are not mandatory, but are considered irrational.

When digging

Digging is a procedure that involves turning the soil over. As a result of such manipulations, beneficial humus-forming microorganisms are sent deep underground. Unfortunately, oxygen often cannot penetrate to such a depth. Experiencing oxygen starvation, beneficial microorganisms die, and the soil becomes significantly scarce and loses its beneficial properties.

Given these features, it is recommended not to dig up the garden in the fall, but to loosen the soil. However, an exception is made for heavy soil. Digging is carried out, but with minor features. During the autumn digging, about 15 cm of the top layer of the earth is affected. The soil is not turned over, but shifted, extracting the roots of the weeds from it.

In addition, the autumn digging of clay soil contributes to the improvement of its water and air permeability. As a result of such actions, the soil warms up well and very quickly in spring.

It is better to carry out an autumn digging in compliance with the recommendations of experienced gardeners in the second half of September. By this time, vegetable gardens have already been freed from all vegetable crops.

The tops of plants, which show signs of disease or infection, are burned. Ash can be used as fertilizer during autumn or spring tillage.

The optimal period for digging a vegetable garden is considered to be the period beginning in mid-September and continuing until mid-October. It is important to have time to complete such manipulations by the time the period of prolonged rains begins.

If you delay the implementation of such actions, digging the soil can, on the contrary, provoke undesirable consequences. The soil will be compacted, and oxygen access will be significantly slowed down.

Why dig up the ground in the fall

If the soil is excessively weedy, it is initially simply loosened. As a result of increased oxygen availability, weeds begin to actively germinate. After two weeks, they move on to the next stage of digging, during which they remove:

dandelion rhizomes and wheatgrass;
larvae of May beetles and wireworms.

Digging the soil allows you to detect and destroy the underground passages of pests, rodent burrows.

This agrotechnical procedure allows the soil to be saturated with useful elements. While digging the beds, summer residents apply organic and mineral fertilizers.

If large pieces of soil are formed during digging, they do not need to be broken. They will retain moisture and prevent the soil from compaction.

Weed control

Weeds are the worst enemies of summer residents. They grow quickly, causing significant harm to cultivated plants, taking away a significant part of their nutrients, blocking them from the sun's rays. It is for these reasons that no gardener will put up with the presence of weeds in the garden. Several times a month during the season it is necessary to carry out weeding, destroying the weeds.

Digging is an agrotechnical procedure, which is one of the most effective in the fight against weeds. When carrying out such actions, the roots of the weeds are on the surface, they are easy to detect, collect and discard.

Of course, it will not be possible to ensure one hundred percent destruction of weed rhizomes, but when digging, the strength of even the remaining weeds is significantly weakened. In the spring, less unwanted grass will begin to grow in this area.

Fertilization

When deciding whether it is necessary to dig up the land in the autumn in the garden, the owners of the garden plots receive affirmative answers. Experienced summer residents explain that digging allows you to add nutrients to the soil and contribute to its deoxidation.

Organic and mineral fertilizers act as nutrients.

It is wrong to just scatter fertilizers around the garden. First you need to decide which vegetable or berry crops are planned to be planted in the spring in specific beds.

After that, compost or humus is added to the areas where it is planned to grow seedlings, cabbage or cucumbers in the next season.

Mineral fertilizers will not be superfluous for any plants, so they can be distributed throughout the garden.

Change in soil acidity

The deoxidizing effect will be achieved when the ash is mixed with the soil. This can be achieved only by digging up the site.

Minuses

Along with the many advantages that accompany the digging procedure, there are also tangible disadvantages:

Such work is never accompanied by lightness and one has to experience excessive physical fatigue. Therefore, experienced summer residents recommend a sensible approach to this task, digging up the soil only where there really is a need for it.
When using the wrong digging technique, the soil inhabitants change places, which quite often negatively affects the condition of the soil.

Do I need to dig up the ground in the garden

If the beds withstand the digging procedure, then similar manipulations in the garden can provoke extremely undesirable consequences.

When digging up the trunk circle of any fruit tree, "dew roots", which are small suction roots, are destroyed. It was their nature that gave them the ability to absorb moisture and absorb nutrients. When digging, a shovel ruthlessly destroys them.

For this reason, on the eve of winter, experienced gardeners do not carry out such manipulations.

In addition, such agrotechnical processing is extremely dangerous for stone fruit trees, apples and cherries. Their root system is located very close to the soil surface. Any careless movement can provoke root damage. A weakened tree will find it difficult to endure the winter period. In addition, in places of damage to the roots, shoots will begin to actively grow, taking away strength from the main tree.

Digging is not an easy agronomic procedure; it is a real art, the level of possession of which depends on the yield in the next season.

It is better to dig up the ground when it is sufficiently moist. If the soil is dry, processing will be accompanied by difficulties, you will have to make every effort.
The shovel must be inserted into the ground in an upright position, capturing a small layer of earth.

Novice summer residents, setting tasks for themselves, seek to solve them in a short time. It is not recommended to transfer this rule to the digging procedure. It is better to do everything gradually, then fatigue will not be noticeable, and the quality of work will be higher.

With a prolonged stay in the garden, accompanied by digging up a plot, minor health problems may arise. You often have to suffer from conjunctivitis.

Such a problem can be fought by using folk remedies. It is possible to eliminate inflammation of the eyelids if you wipe it with a self-prepared infusion. It is made from the peel of cucumbers. You can not wipe your eyelids, but do lotions. But before using any means, you must consult a medical specialist.

It is up to the owner of the dacha to decide whether to dig up the land in the garden in the fall, and then also in the spring. This procedure is complex both physically and technologically. Therefore, it is recommended to listen to experienced farmers in order to do all the work correctly.

Nowadays, the production of agricultural machinery is so developed that it is not necessary to bend your back to work your area.

Cons miracle shovel ripper "Mole"

A common shovel is used both for digging up the ground and for planting. The miracle shovel is used only for digging; it will not work to make depressions with it and dig in trees.

There is another agricultural tool that makes it easier to work on the site. This is the Super Excavator 7 ripper. It is also easy to use, like the Mole shovel, it differs in the use of two cuttings. Otherwise, it performs the same functions as the miracle shovel.

Using a super excavator allows you to dig up the ground quickly and easily without harming your health. The main advantage of both the shovel miracle and the super excavator is the affordable price.

Create conditions for yourself, thanks to which you will enjoy working in your garden.

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