The depth of the drought

I decided to plant some lettuce seedlings in some small clear areas of my very small veg plot. I stuck a trowel in and it sank 8" with almost no resistance. I thought I had struck an old mole hole and tried another spot. It was the same so I tried between the rows of slow-growing carrots - same again. Then I realised that the soil, which has not been walked on since it was dug and raked in early spring when it was wet, was nothing but loose dry dust to a depth of at least 10".
No wonder everything is starting to look sick. Apart from the tomatoes int he greenhouse I think I will have a total failure this year.

Where I have not watered dust and soft where I have watered and then not bothered its concrete cant get a fork in. I know that we shouldnt complain compared to some parts of the world but not experienced this before on the plot - damp level two weeks ago was 4ins now its double.