Given the solidity of the clay soil I now have, I have precious little to feel pleased about - at least at the moment, as I tame the new plot.
But - it has its compensations? Even couch grass hasn't been able to get more than two inches into the soil; the lads around assure me that digging out a clod, turning it upside down, and the couch grass drowns! ???
We'll see. Please don't disillusion me yet - I've still got a helluva lot to turn over! ::)
All best - Gavin
[slow typist edit]On my old softer soil, I didn't have any problems composting couch grass - as long as the heap was big enough so that it had an outside covering of couch grass that you could cut off and use to start the next pile.
I skimmed off couch grass turves from a couple of planned beds in the summer, and built a turf pile. I'm hoping that in a year's time, I can do the same - trim the outside to start a new pile, and barrow the deeper new soil inside back on to the beds. Fingers crossed?[catching up with Jamie! end edit!]