Did you forget something?

What do you mean taz? I will post pics.

I think that is what he meant -

You asked Can yall take a look at my pics and tell me what I should do to break these clumps up

So where are the pics we are supposed to take a look at? ;)

Otherwise it isn't clear why the post about looking at the pics if the pics aren't there? Plus it really is a discussion for the Soil forum or maybe the Vegetable Gardening forum since it isn't really a "tomato" question. See what I mean?

As to clods and clumps - part of the problem is the time of year - dry and hard soil vs. normal digging time in early spring or late fall. Part of it is your soil and only elbow grease will solve that - well elbow grease and a pick axe.

I sometimes have good luck stockpiling the worst clods in a corner somewhere and soaking the pile well with water to soften it up and then takes the tools to it now and then until it finally breaks down.

Might also consider that making a raised bed might be a whole lot easier for you to do.

Dave

Bree,

Yeah, I looked at your post yesterday expecting to see pictures. Then later I saw a reply, so I came back to look at it. Still no pics, or even a link. When it says "w/pics" in the subject line, people tend to assume they will be in the post. *grin*

If the clumps really are dirt and not dirt covered rocks, I recommend watering the garden area really well (and I do mean REALLY well) then wait for it to dry enough to work it without compacting it. Any clumps should have enough moisture in them by then to be able to break them up.

Betsy

Geez

bwbree - I'm doing the same thing. I'm turning over sod, and underneath it's hard as a rock when it's dry. When it's wet, it seems ok though. I'm using a digging fork, since it's much easier than a shovel, and hopefully not as damaging to the earthworms. I don't know what I _should_ do, but what I am doing is just breaking it up into smaller chunks with a small shovel, by hand, etc., where I'm putting my tomatoes. I'm also surrounding my plants with the broken up sod. I'm trying not to pulverize the chunks though, since that would remove all the spaces between soil particles, and destroy the "soil structure", making it harder for air, roots, etc. to get through.

Add tons and tons of compost to keep the clay bits apart. I did my clay pit with a shovel and let the big clods sit on top to dry and then shattered them with a whack from a shovel. Easy to do with a D handled short shovel, which can be swung around with one hand. Mulch over top well so that roots can dig into the clay clods even at the surface and the soil will be much better at the end of the season. Turn it again and whack apart more clay clods. Repeat next year.

spiced ham - That sounds like what I'm doing. I'm breaking up the bigger clods into smaller clods as I plant, so the roots have plenty of places to grow through. But I'm not breaking them up so much that all the dirt will compact, and turn into a solid brick after a rain. That's my theory at least. Then I'll probably put some compost around each plant to fill in the spaces like you said. And throw a bunch of pulled weeds on top. The weeds should keep the top from drying out too much. It's similar to the double digging I tried a few years ago. Except I'm only working close to the surface. Double digging was torture.