How to get a fine tilth?

[Fluff]

This thread is really interesting me as we are on very clay soil too and creating any kind of tilth is well-neigh impossible.

I resorted to laying rows of compost and transplanting seedlings into that, then digging it all in a the end of the season. Seems to be working so far, along with potatoes and manure. They've been my biggest ally in breaking up the earth!

[NOG]

I used to do that. and it worked for me.

[NOG]

and welcome to the vine Fluff

[Redpepper]

I've added builders soft sand and compost over the years to break my heavy clay down a bit. Agree with what other Grapes have said

[sauzee]

I have had my plot since oct last year and i have done about 2/3 of the plot i made a frame four feet high and four feet square and nailed a piece of 2in x1/2in mesh on it and removed stones,glass and as many weeds and couch grass as i could and now ground is fine tilth takes time but you only need do it once still picking out weeds though

[Stacey Steve]

Obviously the more the soil is worked, the more lumps of clay break up provided you are mixing in compost. The best tool I've found and only costs about a tenner is this from Westfalia

Rotary Cultivator from Westfalia at our Plant protection and fertilizers inside the Gardening shop

Also pulls weeds out a treat

[rana]

Having had my plot for nearly ten years and added tons of manure and garden compost I still need to sow and plant in patches/rows which are prepared with compost and sand and hard work. I despair at how the soil persistantly clumps or sets into concrete in the dry. The only noticeable improvement has been an increase in the soil depth.

The joys of heavy clay...........

[rana]

Obviously the more the soil is worked, the more lumps of clay break up provided you are mixing in compost. The best tool I've found and only costs about a tenner is this from Westfalia

The tool looks great but it wouldn't make a dent in heavy soils. I recently suprised a friend of mine by bouncing a heavily thrust garden fork off of my soil. And that was in an area that was dug over twice in the spring with the introduction of yet more organic matter.

[ckfe]

i got a load of topsoil off freecycle and it's got a lot of little (and quite a few not so little) stones in it.. will the seedlings find a way around it?

[NOG]

Yes....I would grow seedlings in MPC in the greenhouse or a seived seed bed then transplant them.

[HeyWayne]

I dump almost half a bag of compost into each bed (not on a day when it's dry, and has been for days and days), turn the edges over using a long handled spade, then go mad at the area using an Azada. The Azada gives me the leverage/momentum I need to break up the larger clumps and the compost "sticks" to the edges so that gradually it breaks down and the clumps don't stick back together so easily.

Then I rake, rake, rake until even and fine. It's not like sand, but it seems fine enough. I don't sow direct, but it's fine enough if I wanted to.

I have on occasion also used a long handled cultivator to break things up a bit further prior to raking, but it's generally not needed.