How To Soften Hard Soil For Digging

Cover crops, also called green manure crops, help loosen clay or compacted soils with their roots and by adding organic matter. They also prevent nutrient loss and erosion during the non-growing season. Leguminous cover crops, such as winter rye, alfalfa, hairy vetch and clover, which add nitrogen to the soil, are usually planted at the end of summer or early fall. To fix compacted soil, which is soil that has little to no air space, break it up to make it hospitable for your plants again. Start by shifting livestock, machinery, vehicles, and foot traffic away from the compacted area to give the soil a rest.

If you use the compacted area for farming or gardening, move your plants somewhere else for at least 1 growing cycle. Instead, plant a cover crop, like winter wheat or ryegrass, to allow the roots to break up the soil. For smaller, grassy areas that are compacted, use a small metal garden fork to poke holes in the soil so air, water, and roots can enter the area.

However, when tackling a larger area, use a rototiller with an aeration attachment. Heavy or hard soils contain a high percentage of clay and low amounts of silt and sand, resulting in compacted soil that becomes difficult to till. Improving a clay soil lawn or garden by adding decomposed organic material, such as compost, not only improves workability but increases fertility. Gypsum is easily applied to the soil surface with a regular lawn spreader. It's an ideal amendment for improving soil structure and relieving compaction in existing lawns and gardens. When I first start a garden and double dig my rows (3' wide minimum) I will add DECOMPOSED organic matter and fertilizer and mix sorta kinda.

Without using anything else this makes raised beds. Sometimes there is a lot of moisture in the soil but it will look dry to you. My beds for plants are always ALWAYS raised with trenches at the bottom of the slopes to take excess water away to where ever I dictate.

No matter what kind of soil I have, I make these raised beds. They start out a couple of feet high with the fluffy soil and then they are formed and compacted to get rid of large air pockets. Common soil amendments include compost, grass clippings, straw, shredded leaves, rotted manure and dried seaweed.

For starters, fall mulching gives you the upper hand on spring weeds. Pull weeds that do emerge in the spring early and quickly, when they are small and easy to manage. Covering garden beds right from the start gives you the jump on garden weeds, while feeding the soil with organic material at the same time. Healthy soil typically is more than 40 percent pore space, with large pores that promote drainage and small pores which help store water. This combination enables air and water to penetrate, promotes good drainage, and allows soil organisms to breathe and plant roots to grow.

Machinery, foot traffic and pounding rain compact the soil and make life in the soil difficult. Compacted soils can flood and also be susceptible to drought, since water runs off rather than infiltrating. You can repair compacted soil by rebuilding its spongy structure. Some people claim you can loosen clay by adding gypsum to it. The theory is that gypsum binds clay particles together to make bigger particles, providing more space for air, water, and roots. While this works to some extent, adding gypsum alone isn't enough for most gardens.

The best way to loosen and improve clay soil is by adding lots of organic matter. When using this method, adding a layer of an inch or two of sand or gravel on top of the clay will allow plants that cannot normally grow in clay to thrive. This is because some or most of their root system is above the clay soil, but the tips of the roots can still pull nutrients and water out of the clay. In a garden bed, the best way to introduce organic material without digging , is to apply layers on top and let nature do the work for you. Simply pile your garden bed high with organic material – it can be wood chips, shredded paper, straw, chopped leaves, lawn clippings – whatever you can lay your hands on.

It might be slow, but the wait will give you time to get to know your land before you plant. Amending your soil properly can overcome heavy, compacted clay and get it back on track for healthy lawn and garden growth. Adding materials such as organic compost, pine bark, composted leaves and gypsum to heavy clay can improve its structure and help eliminate drainage and compaction problems.

Compaction is most likely to occur with heavier soils like clay and loam, but when heavy equipment is used, sandy soils can become compacted. These are soil particles that are packed closely together. The problem may be compounded by events that have happened to the soil over the course of years.

The pore spaces are reduced to the point that air and water cannot move freely and plant roots cannot grow easily into the surrounding soil. The soil could remain overly wet longer than is healthy for the plants growing there. Chop over-wintered cover crops directly into spring soils a few weeks before planting.

During the growing season, sow a quick-growing cover crop, such as buckwheat, to fill the gap between spring and fall crops. When it's time to plant, pull the buckwheat cover and use it as a mulch for fall garden beds. Your soil test or extension agent can help you determine the right amount of organic matter for your soil. Walking on your lawn or garden when its wet is a common cause. Heavy, beating rains also drive clay particles together.

Salts from fertilizers and winter de-icing solutions build up in heavy clay as well. Instead of gypsum, consider core aerifying in spring, summer or early fall to reduce the compaction and improve plant health. Aerifying with large half-inch hollow tines and punching about 25 holes/square foot will produce good results. Very compacted soil can benefit from several corings each year . This does not minimize the benefit of have a high Ca and Mg level reading in your soil test, but coring does physically reverse a physical compaction of soil particles.

Yes, coring is an expensive service to buy, and most lawns really don't need it; but it won't hurt. And if the soil is compacted, it's usually the best solution to the stifled growth. It takes the care of your clay soil yard to an entirely new level. Top-dressing planting beds with several inches of compost will improve lightly compacted soils. Earthworms and other soil fauna will gradually pull it down into the soil, loosening it and improving water-holding capacity. A 2- or 3-inch layer of shredded leaf mulch or wood chips will provide similar benefits.

Compacted soil and plants don't go well together. Without enough air space in soil, there's no room for water and nutrients to circulate, and the roots on your poor plants have nowhere to grow. The good news is that there are steps you can take to fix and prevent soil compaction.

Below we'll walk you through how you can break up compacted soil, reintroduce air into it, and make it a welcoming home for your plants again. You will need to work at it over the years by repeating the process though. Baked clay is almost impossible to break up, rotivate or dig, it's easier to spread the organic matter and grit and wait until the worms have done some of the work for you.

For a large vegetable garden, another solution is to grow a cover crop at the end of the season, then mow and turn in the following spring before planting. The roots penetrate the compacted soil and loosen it. By mowing and turning the mowed tops in, the soil is additionally loosened.

Cover crops could include annual ryegrass, winter wheat, winter rye, buckwheat, oilseed radishes and hairy vetch. While wet earth by itself isn't easy to dig, one can use how moisture affects the dirt to their advantage. Damp earth can clump up, become heavier, and stick to the blades of your shovel. However, clay soils hard on the surface can break up after digging 10 inches into the ground. This wetting process underneath the top layer of earth allows you to lift entire earth pillars with a post hole digger easily.

Adding sand can be tricky and typically is not recommended to be added to clay soil. Chop organic material directly into the top 2 inches of soil with a heavy bladed hoe and cover with mulch. Ideally, add concentrated manures, mineral phosphorous and potassium fertilizers, and lime at the same time. Adding these materials in the fall gives them time to break down for use when plants need them in the spring. The exception is if you do the tilling or digging only once to help prepare the soil.

This approach can work and can speed up the process. But make sure to follow up by adding organic material to the surface of the soil and start planting perennial plants—and then stop digging/tilling. Most heavy clay soils benefit from the addition of gypsum. It adds some nutrients but, more importantly, it loosens clay soils and makes it more workable. Spread about 3 to 4 pounds of gypsum per 100 square feet over garden soil after it has been dug in the winter.

Work it into the soil or allow it to be washed in by rain. Aeration should be part of every homeowner's lawn maintenance plan, but it is particularly important for residents of DFW. Aerating twice a year will keep the easily compacted clay soils of DFW loose and porous for optimal plant growth. Ideally, DFW lawns should be aerated once in the spring and a second time in the fall. A slightly faster option is to cover the soil with material that is full of soil microbes, as these will speed up the process. This includes compost, worm castings, and manure – and less of the dense, harder materials such as wood chips, which take longer to decompose.

Make sure to cover this 'active' compost etc with a layer of straw mulch to avoid it drying out as this will kill the useful microbes, which don't like hot sun. Deep watering once a week will also keep things moving. After about a month you'll notice a difference and, if you keep feeding your soil every spring and autumn, it will soon be full of life and all your plants will thrive. Once you have realized your soil is compacted, there are several things to be done.

Resist the urge to routinely roto-till or cultivate the garden. Instead, consider adding organic matter by using mulch or compost over the top of a flower bed or simply hand-spade it into the top 3 to 6 inches of soil. For a vegetable garden, put 2 inches of compost on the soil surface and till in and repeat for a total of 4 inches in a season. A goal of 5 to 15 percent of organic matter would be advantageous.

Soften your hard soil by adding decomposed organic material, such as compost, which not only improves workability but increases fertility. Including gypsum, or calcium sulfate, in the mix will bind the organic matter to the soil particles and prevent the soil from crusting over or cracking once dry. Reseed the affected area, if you're improving a clay soil lawn. If you're amending soil for a vegetable or flower garden, you can begin planting immediately once you've added the amendments. If you don't plan to plant immediately you should cover the area with a heavy layer of mulch to prevent erosion and slow water absorption. Otherwise your hard work might literally be washed away by a heavy rain or two.

This is particularly helpful for heavy clay soils that make it difficult for grass roots to thrive. By taking steps to improve and maintain your heavy clay soil, you can enjoy all the benefits clay offers and reap the rewards of healthy soil and plants. Penningtonis here to help you overcome lawn and garden challenges and grow the best lawn and garden possible, in heavy clay and every other soil type. Clay's potential as one of the best soil types for plant growth lies in its unique properties. Managed well, clay soil typically requires less irrigation and less fertilizer, and leads to healthier plants all around.

Just as it is difficult for you to dig in compacted soil, it is also difficult for soil-dwelling organisms, like bugs and worms, to tunnel in compacted soil. You won't usually find many organisms living in compacted soils because they cannot get the air, space and nutrients they need to survive. Also, compacted soil makes it difficult for plants with delicate root systems to thrive. Very compacted soil tends to support only the growth of weeds, which have thick tap roots that can penetrate deeply into compacted soil and out-compete other plants. Commercial products, such as ClayMend, are also available to amend clay soil by introducing beneficial soil microbes and supplying them with nutrients. The company states that a blend of organic acids gathers ultra-fine clay particles and then microbes work to secure them together.

How Do You Soften Hard Soil For Digging This process opens the soil, allowing it to breathe. The beneficial microbial activity increases and plant roots are able to establish themselves in the restructured soil. Nutrients that have been locked away become free to be attached to the organic material and the clay structures for easy access by the plant roots. About half of a healthy soil is made up of mineral particles like sand, silt and clay plus organic matter. That is the room for air and water movement around the mineral particles. Pore space is required in order to have a healthy environment for plant roots and beneficial microorganisms and earthworms to break down plant residue into organic matter.

You've made some excellent decisions for building healthy soil. Unfortunately, many of the cover crops you mentioned are either perennials that come back every year, or annuals that are cold-hardy and often survive the winter. This isn't a problem in gardens that are tilled, but in a no-till garden, your best bet is sheet mulching.

Otherwise, you could try using a broadfork or digging fork to break up the plant matter. If you pull the clovers, definitely use them as a green mulch. Because of Covid 19 I want to plant right away but I don't have access to garden stores.

If I had the resources, I'd do sheet mulching over this, but cardboard and newspaper are out and getting more soil or compost to put on top is also out. I have some leaves that were covering ground from winter that I can collect and put over. I'm guessing I need to cover them so that they will die and decompose, right? Or do you think those heavily rooted clovers should be pulled all the way out because it will be very hard to cut through to plant starts into? I don't have a lot of space in my garden as is, and food scarcity is a real issue right now so I can't afford to let it sit and work magic on its own for the year. Earthworms are part of the "micro-herds" of soil organisms that help to improve clay soil over time.

What Is The Lucky Chinese Zodiac For 2020

The Year of the Metal Rat 2020 will be a year of new beginnings! The Metal Rat Year is going to be a strong, prosperous, and lucky year for almost all chinese zodiac signs. Everyone will show determination regarding their goals, aspirations, and even their hobbies. Those who plan to buy real estate, to start a business or to invest money in a long-term project have great chances of being satisfied in the future.

This type of initiatives will only be successful if they are carefully planned. Chinese Horoscope is a Yin Yang Five Element theory, not only the relationships of the zodiac animal signs. If you know your birth time, then you can have your complete Chinese astrology birth chart, your Lucky Element, and the Rise & Fall Life Chart. The Lucky Element is the secret code to help people to live luckier, wealthier, healthier, happier and longer.

If you don't know your Lucky Element today, then you return from the treasure mountain empty-handed. There are both auspicious and inauspicious stars working in this zone and both are in charge of love and relationships. You will definitely be popular among the opposite sex. You might even start a relationship with someone you meet this year. However, it's probably a brief dalliance as a result of the influence of inauspicious stars.

The year of the water tiger is a favorable year for financial growth, implementation of large-scale plans, and passionate relationships. However, the married snakes might have to deal with misunderstandings with their spouse. The career horoscope 2022 will bring positive changes to a few, while others may have to face hardships. The Snake businessmen can expect profitable business proposals that will enhance their business. Take good care of your health, and don't ignore the body signals. The personal relationships of the Dragon natives in the year of the water tiger will be uncertain.

Your love life will be joyous and full of excitement. The Chinese Zodiac Horoscope 2022 predicts a stagnant year for businessmen. The people seeking a change in the field of work will receive a lucrative offer. The stars advise you not to miss your regular health appointments and indulge in physical activities for vigorous health. As your career is on the rise, your earnings have been improved accordingly.

However, there are chances of unforeseen expenses which may diminish your savings under the influence of inauspicious stars. Therefore, those born under the sign of the Sheep still have to budget carefully and establish a correct concept of money. 2020 is a year of the Rat, starting from January 25th, 2020 and lasting until February 11th, 2021. The Year of the Rat is the first zodiac sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle.

In this case, some people believe that animals that are four hours apart are more compatible than those that are six hours apart. This year presents many opportunities for you to find the silver lining in every situation. Although good luck will come to you in the form of support and new relationships, the way you approach every situation will determine its final outcome. In Chinese astrology, there is a total of 12 zodiac signs, each represented by an animal. The signs change each lunar year on a rotating cycle.

One zodiac cycle is 12 years, starting with the Rat, meaning 2020 brings us to the start of a new cycle. A sheep covered in a coat of undulating clouds lined with golden thread. A dog resplendent in the fine robes of a Chinese emperor.....welcome to the zodiac world of Chris Chun!

These predictions also extend to the realm of relationships and romantic interests. In fact, many use zodiac animals to determine whether their personality is compatible with potential partners. Usually, those who believe in the predictive powers of the traditional zodiac also say that each zodiac animal can interact either positively or negatively with the others. The Chinese Zodiac Horoscope 2022 predicts a year of changes for the people born under this zodiac. But the nature of the change depends upon the hard work and efforts that the natives have been putting through in the past. You are advised to stay positive, and everything will fall into place.

However, there might be an increment in wages which will improve your financial status. A health horoscope is favorable for the natives in the year of the water tiger. People with this zodiac are going to flourish the business and will have financial gains. The career graph is going significantly up for them especially the first three trimesters. As I predicted, the best months for you will be April, May and February. Your long-time dreams are going to come true this year.

You will also be recognized by the people you look up to. Things which went wrong in the family in the past years will gradually settle. Your lucky numbers for the year would be 7,9,8, 46 and 69. There are 12 Chinese zodiac animals used to represent years, 2020 is the Year of the Rat.

The 2022 year of the water tiger promises a year of positive changes. Your business will be stable, and finances will flow smoothly throughout the year. This year is favorable for new love and relationships.

However, you are advised to make savings that might be needed in the future. The ones taking care of themselves will enjoy good health throughout the year, while the ones ignoring the body signals might suffer. The Chinese zodiac cycle consists of 12 animal signs, one for each lunisolar year. This upcoming cycle is the Year of the Rat, the first sign; last year was the Year of the Pig. In folklore, the Jade Emperor held a competition to decide the zodiac animals.

The rat asked the ox to carry him across the river, but jumped down before the ox crossed the finish line, winning the race. Since you are conflicting with Tai Sui this year, you should avoid going to places where negative Chi or energy is in abundance, such as hospitals, the cemetery or funerals. None of the auspicious stars will come to your aid this year, and what is worse, the situation is aggravated by the impact of several inauspicious stars. You may have a hard time getting along with your colleagues this year.

On the other hand, Sui Po will make you get little returns despite your hard work. You must work your hardest and try to approach your colleagues to show your goodwill. The state of health for those under the Snake is not very good. There are several inauspicious stars which might cause one to take a toll on one's health. Still, you will come across minor ailments at times, and there are chances of deterioration for chronic ailments.

Keep an eye on your health and seek medical advice when needed. According to one version of this tale, the emperor's advisors selected twelve candidates from among the animal types, including the rat and the cat. The winner was to be selected based upon merit, as to personal appearance, lifestyle, and contributions to the world. The Jade Emperor mystified as to why there were only eleven candidate animals to show up inquired of his servants. These servants hastily acquired the first possible replacement animal which they encountered, .

After the start of the competition, the rat achieved first place by performing on the flute while upon the back of the ox. Impressed, the Jade Emperor placed the rat at the beginning of the twelve-year cycle (and the ox second, for being so generous as to allow the rat to play the flute upon the ox's back). Then the other animals were placed in order according to the Jade Emperor's judgment. Rats are also hard workers and have the best chance of being wealthy and successful in their career, out of all the zodiac signs. Free Chinese Horoscope Love compatibility Match using birthdays has been serving millions of users since 1999.

It's much more accurate than Chinese zodiac signs matching by birth years. Try the love compatibility test with anyone you know using our Fast Love Match... Some of the 12 animals were selected as they closely relate to the lives of ancient Chinese people. These include domestic animals like an ox, goat, rooster and pig. Others were chosen because they have lucky meanings and are well loved, including a tiger and a dragon. The massive popularity of Western astrology's horoscopes has nurtured major public interest in what any zodiac sign means for people on an individual level.

As such, here's a beginner's guide to the twelve Chinese zodiac signs and their meanings, as well as the Five Elements. Yet another Chinese zodiac origin story claims that Buddha himself called for 12 sacred animals to protect his palace. He thus organized a race that involved all animals on earth to identify the most worthy. Finally, the top 12 finishers in the race were selected as his guards. The Chinese Horoscope 2022 promises a favorable year for the representatives of the Monkey zodiac. You can expect positive professional changes and creative achievements.

For some, it will bring newness and excitement, while for others, a newfound relationship might end in enmity. You will prosper in the business and professional domain. Finances will flow smoothly with nothing unusual in store.

The year of the water tiger is favorable for the health of the Monkey natives. The year of the water tiger brings creative achievements and exciting love experiences in the life of the Horse natives. The people who have been facing difficulties on the family front will find relief from the suffering.

All the hard work that you have been putting into your business will finally give you fruitful results. The Chinese Horoscope 2022 predicts a year of smooth-flowing income. You are advised to pay heed to your health and not miss regular health check-up appointments. Under the influence of inauspicious stars this year, you should not lend your money to others. If you insist, be prepared for it not being returned.

What Is The Chinese Lucky Number For 2020 The luck of Direct Wealth in 2020 is stable due to your work performance. However, under the impact of inauspicious stars and the punishments of Tai Sui, the luck of getting a windfall is not as stable. One suggestion is to concentrate on your career rather than expecting the returns of investment. Your love life may not be as ideal in 2020 due to the negative influence of Gu Chen, an inauspicious star symbolising loneliness. Therefore, it is suggested to spare more time on improving yourself and enhancing personal charm.

As for those who are in a relationship, never keep things to yourself, spend more time with your partner and remember to talk to each other. Congratulations, your luck in love this year is nothing but delightful. Under the influence of some auspicious stars, people will easily get attracted to you. There is every chance to get into a passionate relationship if you are single. As for those who are in a relationship, you will get along well with your partner. In your year of fate, you should avoid going to places where negative Chi or energy is in abundance, such as the hospital, cemetery or funerals.

In addition to this, you've got to be especially careful with 'metal' this year due to the impact of an inauspicious star. For instance, you have to be careful when driving or operating machinery. If you've been diagnosed with a chronic condition, you have to go for regular check-ups in case of the risk of deterioration. Besides this, there's a great chance of accidents or the disaster of blood you will be under the negative influence of several inauspicious stars, Jian Feng and Fu Shi. Throughout history, we've tried to keep good fortune on our side with all sorts of lucky charms and talismans — Four-leafed clovers, the figure 8, dreamcatchers, horseshoes, etc. Sometimes this 'lucky charm' might be a person — that lucky star who brings you fortune, ranging from petite joys to showing up to save the day.

In Chinese feng shui, we call this person a 'Benefactor' (貴人). The prediction of Birth Year Zodiac Sign just covers something about people's public relationships. To have a more accurate prediction we need to know the Day Master, then analyze the Day Master relationship with the zodiac sign of the coming year. The following will give your both zodiac sign and Day Master predictions for 2020 Rat year.

The Year of the Rat invites tigers to behave like the rat by acting on their instincts for career success, she says. A happier hunting ground will be found in exciting projects, and successful negotiations will be the reward. Those born in the Year of the Tiger will also enjoy smoother relationships with friends and family than in recent years as well as the chance for romance. Chinese astrology states that certain zodiac animal combinations get along better than others, and that some animal signs are natural enemies. Chinese horoscope animals' compatibility takes the characteristics of each animal into account.

Those whose characteristics match well can have good compatibility. The Chinese Zodiac is an ancient belief system considered to be a tool for deciding one's destiny. Chinese Horoscope 2022 unfolds the future of all Chinese Zodiac Signs concerning career, health, business, finance, love relationship, etc. These predictions based on the concepts of Chinese Astrology will be helpful in achieving the best possible results. Remedial solutions suggested as per zodiac sign will prove to be a boon for you.

So, read this article on Chinese Predictions 2022 and know what the year 2022 beholds for you. However, people who are born in different years of the Rat can have varied characteristics that reflect one of the five Chinese elements; wood, fire, earth, metal and water. 2020 is the year of the Metal Rat, which means sensitivity and strong self-awareness, along with persuasiveness and a quick tongue. People born in the Year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the cycle.

Clever, skillful, and flexible, they are remarkably inventive and original and can solve the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn't be successful but they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable. They want to do things now, and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects.