digging my allotment

when i dig my plot as normal the soil is usually in large lumps (hope you understand what im saying) so does anyone have any good tips for thining the soil ,some  say sock the soil then break it down with a hoe,any ideas ?

Sounds like you have a clay soil.

It might be worth you reading up about dealing with clay soils:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=620#section3

Personally, if you have started to dig your plot, leave the clods to dry out a little and then wack them with the back of a fork/blade of a spade to break them up.  You can then rake the smaller lumps into a tilth for planting.  This time of year, this is pretty much the only option.  Most recommend digging before winter comes so the winter weather breaks down the lumps, but I assume you didn't have this option.  Others recommend adding lime to help - but this can alter the acidity of your soil - not great for all crops.

If this seems impossible, draw a planting trench for whatever seed you want to sow and fill with compost before sowing your seed (covering with the compost).  This will help the seed be more drained and stop it rotting off (another issue with clay).

I prefer no dig methods and, having tried dig and no dig cultivation over the last three years, feel this is the better option for me to tackle both the clay and couch grass infestation.  I use a process called lasagne gardening.  You can see the results on my diary showing my new plots (link in my signature) or look on Youtube for videos showing the concept.

I think you'll find it does inprove over time & a bit of elbow grease!

This year I've dug some parts of my veg patch that haven't been utilised for at least 2 years (possibly never as I don't know the history of the patch) and those have been soooo hard with dig with large "clumps" of earth requiring a lot of bashing.  However when I move onto a bit that's been used the last year of so the difference is amazing, fork slides in and the earth and it just breaks up!

H

Agree with all the above advice - I've got very heavy clay soil that stays damp most of the winter and we rarely get frosts.  But I put in raised beds and having been basically doing the 'no dig' method and adding as much organic matter as possible.  Compost (not always completely rotted down), paper, grass cuttings as mulch, used compost from pots - and can really see the difference in the beds where I've been doing this. A couple of beds that got a little neglected have huge clods of clay that need broken up with spade or fork. Have a think about raised beds - I don't think I'd still have the allotment if I hadn't put them in.

In winter ( e.g. now) my clay soil forms big wet heavy sods, that don't break down under any frost.
In summer it sets and forms dry sods the size of bricks - and about as hard. 
But just for a couple of weeks in Spring it can be dug, and falls apart into crumbs.

So you might find the time of year will change everything.   Oh, and 10 years of digging in tons of organic stuff.