Topic: Is it necessary?

[grannyjanny]

OH has been told that when he has dug & forked  the plot he needs to bash it down with both sides of his fork, he then needs to walk all over it.  What do others do. He is worried about compacting the soil. Is it just raised beds you don't walk on.
Janet

[saddad]

That's probably the last thing I'd do on my clay soil... if you are on a light sandy loam, perhaps.... or just for the brassicas but even then I think someone is having you on...  :-\

[daileg]

once again yes dont walk on anything once dug over as shuts the air out of the soil and causes it to be compact the roots will never get anywhere . 

[STEVEB]

leave it all open to the elements and let the birds pick out any nasties

[Larkshall]

That's probably the last thing I'd do on my clay soil... if you are on a light sandy loam, perhaps.... or just for the brassicas but even then I think someone is having you on...  :-\

Saddad, I agree. Don't walk on clay soil when its wet or very moist. I have brought into use a system which we used on the H.M. Forestry Commission Nurseries in the 1950's. Although that was on sandy soil it is very apt for clay soil. I have today pulled up leeks which are 4 to 5 inches deep without having to dig them.

http://erowell.co.uk/Gardening/clay-soil.html

[jennym]

Definitely dont walk on it if it's heavy clay, he'll have wasted his time digging it!
Mind you, once during a course and also on telly, I've seen folks do what they call "consolidating" (I think) the soil after its been cultivated to a fine fluffy condition, which involved the person sort of shuffling all over the dug bit, the purpose being to get rid of major air pockets and stop it all flying about I think. Would imagine this may be ok with fine light soil, but then I've never had that "problem"  ;D

[grannyjanny]

We don't have a clay it's  a fine soil & if you dig deep enough it's sandy. OH looked at Hessayons book on veg & herbs last night & he said it used to be done but nowadays it's frowned upon. He took some wood up with him to walk on & his BiL just laughed. SD I'm just a bit concerned as this is the same expert who took out the blackcurrant bush (it was rotten) he said it could cause boot lace virus, & said get rid of the raspberries!!!!!!!! We are of to replace them today although we haven't taken all the raspberries out yet.
BTW it was me who so wanted an allotment but guess who's watching The Victorian Kitchen Garden. He's hooked!!!!!!!!
Janet

[Baccy Man]

Consolidating the soil is only necessary on a brassica bed it may make the rest of your plot look slightly neater but won't offer any significant benefits.

Bootlace virus & more commonly bootlace fungus are alternate names for honey fungus (Armillaria Mellea) which you certainly wouldn't want on your plot. Currants are susceptible to it anyway & if the plant was stressed because of another problem it would be more susceptible to infection so he may be right on that.

[nilly71]

If the advice was to compact it, that would be one thing but because he has been told to bash it using both sides of the fork ::) i think either he is beeing had or you need to seek advice from elsewhere.

Neil

[growmore]

The guy that told him  may be getting it a bit mixed up. I know good gardeners   that when sowing shuffle cross a row with their feet to firm it ,then rake it to a fine tilth prior to sowng their seeds .

[Robert_Brenchley]

I think it depends entirely on the soil. You obviously wouldn't do it on clay, but Harry Dodson (of 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden') was a great one for stamping everything down level. That was on chalk soil though. Personally I wouldn't bother; it seems like extra work for nothing but appearances' sake.