[woodburner]

Oh Pictures.  Is this right?  

http://growingyourownveg.blogspot.com/2008/10/can-i-dig-it-yes-you-can.html

Not really, :? :oops:
Double digging is a 'rolling' process in the same way as single digging is. The trench is prepared at one end of the plot, digging proceeds along the plot and finally the trench, now at the other end of the plot, is filled in.
The starting trench is much bigger for double digging than for single digging.
IIRC Hessayon has a good diagram, in The Vegetable Expert.

[peabody]

I bought an Irish spade last year - it's a little narrower and a little longer than the conventional sort, maybe an inch and a half longer. I'm well into my winter digging and have dug up so many bricks that I've enough to build a kennel for the dog I haven't got. Never thought that increasing the spit depth would have such a profound effect.

I think that this means that I'm going to have to consider * trenching next year.
in ireland a "long tail" shovel or spade is used in trenching, it is also used in germany and central europe. used in conjuction with the knee it is a lot easier on the back muscles than the short shafted spade. google "spades templepatrick".
SS

[Ygerna]

I found these step by step instructions on how to double dig so I thought I would share them...
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0105/double_digging.asp

[Nogger]

if you get down to a depth of 12 or 13 inch then hit sand stone where do you go then,   (hire a jigger pick ) ?  :?

[Salmo]

Nogger has a good point.

If your soil is only shallow do not bring up rock or clay from below as it has few nutrients and is sometimes acid. Keep it buried and if you can break it up by * digging then the it may improve drainage and the roots will be able to grow deep to find moisture.

[Nogger]

i recon if you keep adding manure,over the years it will increase in depth

[Christine]

That seems to have been what the old timers of long standing have done on my site - you get to clay subsoil a spit down so the soil is built up by adding manure and compost until there is enough soil for double digging.

It takes a decade or three in some cases  :mrgreen:

[diggerjoe]

what I can't work out is I dig my plot and have a big bucket next to me where I  chuck all the stones get rid of loads then by some myterious force when I come to plant there's more of them - I reckon they breed! I've stopped double digging incase I was disturbing them and bringing them up. One chap here has taken enough styones of his plot to make the base area for his shed

[woodburner]

what I can't work out is I dig my plot and have a big bucket next to me where I  chuck all the stones get rid of loads then by some myterious force when I come to plant there's more of them - I reckon they breed! . . .

Yes, I'm convinced they are related to coathangers.