[marion]

My first plot when I took it over had been used to death and the soil after the winter before was compact and did not seem to have much depth. last summer I only gre runner beans on most of it and had one raised bed at the other end and grew some onions.

This winter I rotavated it, then I put loads of manure on it and some half rotted leaves on it and then re rotavoted it..Yesterday started to folk it over full of very very fat worms but only managed a quarter of it..

Some one asked me why I did not use my rotavator as it would help the soil dry out as my soil was quite wet. I said that I did not want to kill the worms

The reply was that it would not kill that many worms what should I do folk or use the rotavator which would save me loads of time.


marion

[splodger]

using folk to do your digging - i don't have that many friends  

maybe you are meaning fork - which is the method i use  

[WG.]

I'm with you Marion - I reckon rotovating is going to chop up some worms.  It has its uses though; I've been persuaded to the idea of periodical, shallow rotovating as a means of killing out perennial weeds.

[siztenboots]

fork 'em

[Trillium]

Both methods have merit. In the end, it's your plot so do what makes you comfortable.

I use lots of shredded leaves in my beds and hate chopping up all those lovely worms, but sometimes I simply have to rotovate just to get through all the work. Wherever the worms came from, there'll be more.

[penlee]

Marion, did you use a long handled Cornish fork with longer prongs,much quicker and easier on the back,than the normal gardening fork,A friend rotavated my patch years ago,spread the weeds everwhere,never again thankyou.I also did some digging yesterday,no need to rush,ground is far to Cold even down here in sunny Cornwall.