An elderly gardening friend shared this with me, and I pass it on to you..... Sears has a great garden fork at a reasonable price, and it's guaranteed for life; if it ever breaks they will replace it free! I too have broken the handle on a fork, and sure enough they replaced it FREE! Good luck in your new place.

Thanks..will be checking out Sears..this clay bed is going to be a real challenge, even if I get someone to at least start it off with rototiller.

Hi Marcia,
We have a lot of clay here in Alabama. I used to try to break it up but it is hard work. Now, in the fall I sprinkle gypsum where I want to make a new bed, over this I put a layer of news papers and then 4-5 inches of mulch-usually shredded fall leaves mixed with grass clippings and kitchen waste (vegetable/fruit peels, tea leaves, coffee grounds, eggshells etc). The following spring the soil is much easier to work.

Susan.

Thanks, I can get some of that down yet this season,,maybe.
We are going into the 20s and I am delicate. Hadn''t thought of gypsum.

Thanks for the tip! I dug up a new bed two years back with a rototiller - up to a foot deep. Took out all the rocks and got it ready for the next year. Didn't amend it though. Last year when I dug up to plant it felt like I hadn't done a thing! Solid clay on a slope with lots and lots of rocks! I'll try this trick and see how far I get this year!

sounds like you're moving to the south !!