[Growster...]

We do a bed or two at a time (they're 8' x 4'), and this year they're getting a good layer of manure plonked on them as well.

The science of digging is 'just take your time', and winter sessions sometimes mean that you can try and do too much. That's when you can overdo digging, so don't!

When I originally cleared the Patch to get rid of all sorts of perennials and brambles, I sometimes only managed a square yard an hour, but at least it stayed free of the pernicious stuff!

[Kirpi]

I haven't dug a bed over for about five years now - the worms are not complaining.

Soil just gets disturbed enough to let the birds take out soil pests when I fork out a parsnip or spuds or pull up a cabbage, turnip etc.

Just drop loads of compost on the top and let the worms do their stuff.

Each to their own is the essence of allotmenteering.

[grendel]

on my plot last year I tried hand digging and painfully slow it was too, weeds - no reduction there, so this year with less time on my hands again, its back to the rotovator, one half plot takes a tank of fuel and about 2 1/2 hours, the other half plot must be bigger because in 2 hours I had done about 1/3 - though the rotovator was playing up this morning. with the rotovator I will turn over the plot on a weekly basis for several weeks prior to planting, each time going in a different direction, then again I will run the rotovator through a few rows before planting, once cleared though it only takes about an hour to turn over the whole half plot, getting down a good 10". it is said that rotovating cuts up the weeds and makes them multiply, I leave my blades deliberately blunt, so the first few passes I spend a while each row clearing the weeds from the blades (it rips them out and winds them round the blades), this year I am hoping to cover some of the plot with weed membrane until I plant, to see how that goes.
Grendel

[Growster...]

on my plot last year I tried hand digging and painfully slow it was too, weeds - no reduction there, so this year with less time on my hands again, its back to the rotovator, one half plot takes a tank of fuel and about 2 1/2 hours, the other half plot must be bigger because in 2 hours I had done about 1/3 - though the rotovator was playing up this morning. with the rotovator I will turn over the plot on a weekly basis for several weeks prior to planting, each time going in a different direction, then again I will run the rotovator through a few rows before planting, once cleared though it only takes about an hour to turn over the whole half plot, getting down a good 10". it is said that rotovating cuts up the weeds and makes them multiply, I leave my blades deliberately blunt, so the first few passes I spend a while each row clearing the weeds from the blades (it rips them out and winds them round the blades), this year I am hoping to cover some of the plot with weed membrane until I plant, to see how that goes.
Grendel

Sounds like a plan, Grendel, and you have the nasty weeds on hold again! Excellent!

Yup, they take time, but it's a damn sight easier than kneeling and prodding! You're also introducing much needed air into the soil, and mixing the good bits so all the roots of future veg get a good seeing to!