Digging direction

[veggiechicken]

I tend to dig downwards.

Hopefully never be in a position where I have to dig upwards.

I'm the opposite because I like to dig up - spuds, roots, and sometimes bits of bone and pottery.

[Bill Door]

Hmmm! Interesting topic.

I dig right to left and go back to the top for the next "furrow" when going with the slope. But left then right going across the slope (or even right then left depending on which point I reach when I start to dig). I think it is because I am always trying to "move" the soil back up the hill. I have a long handled spade and I find it easy to twist it to the right rather than the left.

I also finish part way through a "furrow" never at the end unless that is the last of the digging. One old timer said that that mean't you were coming back to finish the job. It has stuck with me ever since, silly I know but I have always done it.

Bill

[veggiechicken]

If you moved the soil down the hill, you'd have gravity to help you and, eventually, you'd end up with a flat plot!

[Lumpy]

Don't know how I would dig as I don't possess the mole genetics necessary. Arn't raised beds and teeny gardens wonderful things!

[Chestnut]

I always hold spade with right hand on handle, and definitely prefer to dig left to right. Either in straight lines, or round each side of a square in turn, then jump out from the centre when there’s nothing left to stand on!
OH always digs right to left- so we never finish off a row the other started to dig!

[Kirk]

Start at the right end and dig leftwards, I tnd to turn on the fork to the right.
Means i therefore finish the row then head back up to the right hand end and start again on the next.

Well that is the general approach, not strict.

[Bill Door]

Hi Veggiechicken.

Great idea but I don't think the neighbours would wish to see their fence collapse.

On second thoughts..................

Bill

[veggiechicken]

If you level it out, they may not need a fence, as you'd be high enough to peep over the top.

[Snoop Puss]

^^^
I'm going to start calling you VMC: Veggie Mephistopheles Chicken.

[veggiechicken]

Hmmmmmmm! Is that Mephistopheles the devil or the magical Mr Mephistopheles the cat (other spellings are available)!

Morning, its a luvly day here and the treemen are on their way to do some more tree work - big stuff this time - on some failing ash trees.

Gotta go.............


EDIT - Sorry Folks, I thought I was on the chat thread when I posted this. Forgot it was a serious thread.

[mothhawk]

I don't dig because I already have an army of little diggers in my soil, and if I used a spade I would end up cutting hundreds of them in half. Earthworms do all my digging and aerating, and a darned good job they make of it too. All they need by way of encouragement is a nice thick top dressing of compost