[dan808]

Hi guys its my first allotment and iv turned over the soil in my beds and want to know the best way to get it to brake down a little they are just solid squares sstill. I'm wanting to sow some seeds soon and i was going to lay horse muck on top of soil mix it in a little  it won't be fully rotted but well aged will this be OK?

I don't have a tiller and way to big to get a hoe in.

[Plot 6B]

I find the ideal way to do this is to Winter Dig. You turn over the soil and let the winter weather break down the soil.
It's a pity you have only just got your plot so it's a bit late for this method. To sow seeds you need a fine tilth so it's not going to be easy. If you are adding manure be careful what you sow.

[scattygirl]

Dan, I'm in the same situation with my plot.  The top part is ok, but I've only just got round to digging the bottom half    I think I'm just going to wait until it dries out a bit and then go over it again.  Shouldn't be too hard to dig the second time .......... should it  

[fatcat1955]

Try breaking the larger lumps up by cutting them with a spade.

[sunshineband]

I smack lumps hard with the tines of the fork held sideways, and then give them a bit of a thump with the rake, teeth down

But if the soil is too wet to break up like this, I leave it alone until it has dried out a bit more.

[dan808]

I think I will let it dry out a little so it has a chance to crumble a little hope there no rain for a few days. And yes it will be getting dug winter time next

[Annen]

If you can get hold of an old fashioned rake, mine is basically nails welded into a metal strip with a pole handle attached, they have heavier heads than the modern ones with the curved tines, and are heavy enough to just bash away at the lumps. It helps if the soil is a bit drier too.

[RichardA]

can you get hold of a rotavator -even a small one to give a tilth??
Otherwise it is just put your boots on and your back in, elbow grease well applied and  and tedious as it is do a bit each time once the soil is fit to walk on until you get it as you want it.Bash it, rake it, walk it, rake it, again
I have a drag which is quite useful - made from a fork that got a bit short, tines heated and then bent over and a longer handle fitted so in effect it is a rake with four long teeth - that is a great piece of kit in this situation.
R

[dan808]

Iv found on the allotment what looks like a custom made rake made entirely out of metal and is very heavy to heavy to use as a rake easily, going to have bash with that I very doubt there's any damage I could do to the rake so I shall try that

[grendel]

try using it in a vertical mode, should break up your lumps nicely, like a potato masher.
Grendel