[jambop]

OK it is a poor day down here with very high winds and the occasional shower... so nothing can be done in the garden. My mind turns to the actual growing medium... the soil and I ask myself should I be testing my soil for nutrients and pH ? And then onto how many others on this forum do test their soil? How relevant is it to what we can expect to grow and what can we get from the average garden soil ? For my part I cannot help but think that the structure and physical nature of the soil is more important than things like pH and nutrient levels. An example would be the brassicas I planted out last year. They were a complete failure quite literally all of them died due to a soil that just would not drain given the rainfall we had this winter. And yet the garlic I planted out in raised beds has done better than it ever has before clearly due to the soil draining freely being above the surrounding level.
I suppose that drainage can be improved but at what cost in terms of labour and materials. My solution is complete adoption of raised no dig beds throughout the entire plot. This will not be without it on costs but I think the exercise will be more successful in the long run .

[Dev]

Completely agree. My allotment neighbours are traditional Gardners (and good ones at that) but we've had a lot of rain recently and they are complaining about the soil being compacted. I know they will be rotavating before long, and good luck to them - everyone to his (or her) own. But my no dig beds have shed the water and are ready to receive the plants I am currently raising in modules. There are lots of worms aerating the soil and I can't wait to get started!

[Yorkie]

Rotavating can, over time, create a hard pan underneath the depth to which rotavation always occurs - through which water can find it difficult to drain.

The traditional solution is to add organic matter to improve both water retention on free draining soils, and to improve drainage on water retentive soils.  Sounds counter-intuitive, but that's what I was taught at horticultural college so I believe they know their onions, so to speak!

Also, always avoid standing on soil or working it if it sticks to your boots.  You compact it and prevent proper drainage.

Raised beds are always an option if the soil is permanently waterlogged and/or you have a high water table but I wouldn't necessarily go that route first.

[rowlandwells]

i tend to agree with what your saying we always plough our ground prior to using the rotavator and also dig over the raised beds before we use the mantis tiller to break down the soil

and yes compaction is a well known factor if your  walking over the ground when its wet I was always seems to compact more so I  let the ground dry out before attempting to cultivate of cause this is an exceptional year where most of the ground like ours is still very wet and will take time to dry out so best kept of it although its frustrating not to be able to start anything

and I have to say I'm not the one who uses scaffold planks on wet ground and before any cultivation we will need to spread well rotted manure on the ground because we where unable to do this because of the wet weather although we will be raising our plants in the greenhouse its going to be I'm afraid late planting

[jambop]

The problem with my particular situation is that the soil in my garden is very shallow and to this that it is very fine and this is a recipe for water logging. I have quite a large area to tend and with the soil being heavy it required me to use a rotavator. I don't care what anybody says rotavating is a disaster for soil quality especially given the rainfall we experience in this part of France... you don't need to walk on soil to compact it the weight of the rainfall will do it for you. I am from Scotland and I have never seen rain such as we get here when it arrives. Adding good manure to the soil does help fertility however I have seen no improvement in the draining of the soil.  I have just given up and gone no dig deep bed. The other thing about this system is keeping the beds free of weeds is actually a pleasure rather than a constant chore in the open ground. One other thing about the soil in my garden... try to imagine a soil that adopts the consistency of melted chocolate when even slightly wet and then later in the hot days of summer sets as hard as concrete... viola ! That is my soil... And the really weird thing is that my neighbors all think my soil is to die for which just shows how bad it could be 

[jezza]

Hello if you can access the plot with a tractor try a subsoiler/mole plough  a shakearator would do a good job  jezza

[New shoot]

The problem with my particular situation is that the soil in my garden is very shallow and to this that it is very fine and this is a recipe for water logging.

I think if you have shallow soil, raised bed cultivation is probably the best option.  It takes a lot of time and huge amounts of organic matter to develop a decent depth of top soil, if you are trying to do it over a large area.  For the home grower, best to focus on areas you want to grow in and use a bed system to define these.  As you say, a soil with a fine silty base and lots of rainfall are also a recipe for water logging.  Raised beds do drain more rapidly, so it makes sense for you.

I have raised beds at home for neatness, but you have a lot of paths and produce far less from the same area.  I know people argue raised beds are more productive, but I'm not convinced that makes up for it.  On the plot I don't use them and I notice how much more I can grow in the space, but then I can grow in the soil there without the issues you have.

As in most of gardening life - horses for courses 

[jambop]

New shoot said

"I have raised beds at home for neatness, but you have a lot of paths and produce far less from the same area."
I agree about the need for paths around the beds but I only allow 30cm between my beds the main paths have always been in the garden as it was split into four sections. So I now have  3 rows of seven beds 1.2m x 3m and one row with three beds and my poly tunnel. Then an area of about 4m x 15m where I will still maintain long rows for my Tomatoes . Strangely enough I am almost certain that my produce will in fact be increased due to better use of the area I have. This will be mainly due to less distance between the plants because there will be less need to carry out walking weeding with a hoe between rows these rows will be closer together. The beds are all set up for auto watering as well so I will know exactly how much each bed will be getting and when it gets it. I must admit I am excited to see how this season eventually pans out