[RuthLG]

I have been adding a general purpose compost to each of my deep beds more as a soil conditioner than anything else, due to this being my first time doing deep beds. Today I dug over the newest bed which is about 11'x4' and raked the compost on top of it. But is it best to just leave it on top? Or should I dig it in a bit? If I was using it in the greenhouse, then I would be planting straight into it.

If it makes a difference, this bed is for legumes and brassicas.

[JayG]

Assuming this is bought compost it won't be very deep  - making the further assumption you want to grow things in the bed sooner rather than later I'd just "stir" it in to the top few inches of soil using a border fork (don't like the word "digging" - makes my back hurt!)   

[RuthLG]

Yes it's bought as I dont have any of my own yet - not been into theis gardening lark very long. But I have added 140 ltrs to the bed, so it's about an inch thick on the surface.

[JayG]

Just mix it in a bit then - it'll do more good in rather than on the soil and there isn't time to let nature to do the job for you. 

[RuthLG]

Thanks, will do

[mumofstig]

and tread it down firmly around the brassicas, they don't like fluffy soil at all 

[RuthLG]

and tread it down firmly around the brassicas, they don't like fluffy soil at all 

How does that work with deep beds you arent supposed to stand on?

[mumofstig]

I don't stand on my beds - except for the brassica section.
This says it better than I can

They are tall plants with shallow roots, so they need a compact soil to help them stand upright. Bash the soil down with the back of a spade and walk around again and again. If your trowel bends when planting, then the soil is just about firm enough. After you’ve got your plants in, do the same again, trampling the ground around their roots with your feet

from http://www.sarahraven.com/how-to/growing-food/6/growing-brassicas-seed

[yorkiegal]

will brassicas cope with the soil still being a bit clogged? I've prepared a raised bed today. It's 40cm high. I'd already double dug underneath and added some sand to the very clay'y soil. Then we had rain and it got very waterlogged. I've added a couple of bags of compost and some drier soil on top today, about 30 cm worth. Will it matter that underneath is still very wet? I really need to get my sprouts and kale out. I've also limed it and added chicken manure pellets.

[RuthLG]

So that means every four years, I will have to double dig two of my deep beds (the two that get trampled on for the brassicas)? I had hoped the plan was no more digging

[mumofstig]

why double dig? just fork them over...it's all I do.

[RuthLG]

why double dig? just fork them over...it's all I do.

Because I'm planting by the square foot method and they need really deep soil. The brassica bed becomes the miscellaneous bed the following year, so will be growing lettuces etc, but the year after that, it will be roots and to grow them as close as square foot gardening suggests they need very deep soil.

[shoozie]

why double dig? just fork them over...it's all I do.

Because I'm planting by the square foot method and they need really deep soil. The brassica bed becomes the miscellaneous bed the following year, so will be growing lettuces etc, but the year after that, it will be roots and to grow them as close as square foot gardening suggests they need very deep soil.

Ruth, we have a square 'foot' bed but I don't quite understand what you mean by a 'deep' bed.

 Ours is at the most 10" deep (raised bed - 2 decking boards).  We don't ever double dig it, it just gets a light (garden) fork over.  It's a 9 square by 2 square long bed.  It gets top dressed with some used compost each year, and FBB. Throughout the season we add a sprinkle of growmore from time to time.  When planting brassicas in a square we do make sure the soil is firm as described above.  A square foot garden shouldn't  have to rotate annually like other beds.  We have another temporary one this year that is 6" deep - we'll see how that goes  .  A square foot garden bed, like most normal raised beds, should allow you to reach the centre without having to stand on the soil to plant, weed etc.  you probably know all that though  .

Edit by shoozie: should have said we don't tramble the square quite as described (main bed, definitely) - firm soil with foot or hand and that's ok for one or two cabbages. 

[RuthLG]

I have four beds, each two spits depth turned over with additional soil and compost on top. The frames around the beds are 9" deep, but the soil goes way below that. I am combining square foot with crop rotation, as I have a problem with the idea of forgetting where I planted what and ending up with cabbages in the same place year on year.