[rowlandwells]

goose for what its worth I've told people this method many times when we had problems with our ground capping on one of our allotments I tried many methods to stop the ground capping even asked so called garden experts none could come up with an answer how to stop the capping so I persevered trying several methods and I came up with a solution using horse manure but it was mainly straw I spread that over the hole allotment plot and ploughed it in it took a couple times  using straw but then the ground became more workable and seemed to stop the ground  capping

 I then sowed  a crop of green manure mustard followed on by a crop of late potatoes and boy did those potatoes crop half that allotment produced 14 25k bags of spuds and a good size potato the next season we planted onions and other crops on that ground and they to where brilliant I again sowed a crop of mustard on that patch last season and ploughed in the potato crop looked good despite the hot weather this season but I'm yet to dig the late potatoes but after a moving the soil they look a promising crop of potatoes

so that's how i overcome my soil capping or the ground dying out in the summer months hope this info is a help to your problem goose good luck

[goose]

Thanks so much for the tips, i have just placed an order and am going to give it a go