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I understand the convential wisom is to double dig new beds, digging in manure if required, before the first frosts, so the soil gets broken down over winter.
We don't have this luxury, only having got access to it mid march. Now, we immediately dug 3 large beds (still have the blister scars!), and constructed a raised bed.
I've realised that once our sweetcorn and squash have gone in, we'll be out of space (where does it all go? we've filled up nearly 200 sq/ft of garden, if I've got my maths correct!), and even with my poor germination skills, will need a fair amount more for my squash, and possibly peas and annual herbs.
So, we've identified where the next two beds will be. One will be huge (about 20ft by 20ft), but that is at the bottom end of the allotment where the soil is fairly heavy. We also need to dig a tree root out of this one, so that will be done over the year gradually and left to over winter.
However, the second are we've identified is a long bed, about 30ft by 4ft, following the contour of a natural sloping path (that will require terracing, unfrtunately for my blister scars!), that has really excellent, furtile soil at the top part.
Is it too late to double dig this bit and break down the soil manually by going over it with a fork and rake, or is this a bad idea?
I'm new to all of this, so any advice igreatfully recieved.
We don't have this luxury, only having got access to it mid march. Now, we immediately dug 3 large beds (still have the blister scars!), and constructed a raised bed.
I've realised that once our sweetcorn and squash have gone in, we'll be out of space (where does it all go? we've filled up nearly 200 sq/ft of garden, if I've got my maths correct!), and even with my poor germination skills, will need a fair amount more for my squash, and possibly peas and annual herbs.
So, we've identified where the next two beds will be. One will be huge (about 20ft by 20ft), but that is at the bottom end of the allotment where the soil is fairly heavy. We also need to dig a tree root out of this one, so that will be done over the year gradually and left to over winter.
However, the second are we've identified is a long bed, about 30ft by 4ft, following the contour of a natural sloping path (that will require terracing, unfrtunately for my blister scars!), that has really excellent, furtile soil at the top part.
Is it too late to double dig this bit and break down the soil manually by going over it with a fork and rake, or is this a bad idea?
I'm new to all of this, so any advice igreatfully recieved.
For me, it would depend what sort of weeds you need to get rid of whether to double dig it now, or wait for winter. If you have deep rooted weeds (docks, dandelions, bindweed, horsetail etc.) then you might as well double-dig it now, because you'll be going fairly deep to get them out. If you just have annual weeds, then single-digging might well be enough.
Hope the blisters don't get too bad 
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