Thanks for the advice. I've read the Veg Garden Bible and they say you should loosen the soil to 18" deep. And a tiller only get you down about 8". Yes I do realize I need to add soil admendments and have already added peat moss and sand last fall and will be adding compost this spring.

18"??? You'll have to "triple or quadruple" dig to achieve that, double digging won't do it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_digging

I've been gardening (successfully) for over 50 years and never went 18" deep in a seed bed. If you're trying to grow perfect carrots or parsnips or something, dig a deep trench, fill it with finely sifted soil, then plant, similar to growing leeks, sort of. :-) Remember, even potatoes grow from the seed potoato "up" not down which is why they have to be hilled.

Assuming all the other forums are still here since the houzz takeover, post over in vegetable gardening and see what they offer.

Good luck,

Ev

I really don't want to double dig, that's the idea of this tool. According to this books pictures even the fine roots of carrots go to nearly 16". I assume they sell these things for a reason, someone must use them.

I’m seeing some info gardening friends are dealing with since we stopped. Before we stopped in our Black Land Prairie Top Soil add on our original soil and rock. We added loads of mulched leaves, sand, topsoil and maybe cow manure. I was a facilitator vs my wife is a gardener. It took us a few years to get the mixture she wanted as I tilled as deep as the tined would go in the good mixture.

Friends gardening levels above my wife experienced the need to go deeper than the tines. They experienced what I am reading and needed Tiller Frame’s repairs when trying to till too deep on one pass. One friend finally started to have his garden broken with a tractor before putting his Troy Bilt Tiller to work. He loaned his till to another friend while his was down. His instructions were to make passes to get depth. The other was not willing to make passes and had to run the broken tiller handles by for repairs before returning it. Naturally the owner could tell the tiller was misused and will never be satisfied with it. A sale and purchase is the solution on the table.

I will only loan some equipment, tools, Etc. if I will be present (knowing how I want them used).

"I really don't want to double dig, that's the idea of this tool."

I believe that you are incorrect. I used to live in the SF Bay Area, right where 'Common Ground' did research and training on Double Digging methods, and i also had friends in Covelo where John Jevons had his extensive research garden that led to the forming of Common Ground. The whole purpose of the 'deep spader' was for use after extensive double digging. i can't imagine how it would be possible to use it in heavy soil.

The Bay Area had dark but heavy soil that was called clay, but it is nothing like the red or white CLAY soil that we have in the North Carolina Piedmont. I have no idea what your soil really is, but if it is at least as bad as Bay Area soil (which is actually wonderful) you would find no use for the 'deep spader'.

From the Vegatable Gardens Bible..."You can provide for additional growing depth by working the soil either by double digging or deep-forking. I prefer deep forking because a lot more work for no more gain." Actually this is so for beds 5 years old that already have "some" soil amendents mix in. So it's really for adding new amendments and compost and to loosen and airate soil up to 16" deep.

After you buy a deep spader and use it, report back to us. I think that we're all here to share info and a big part of "sharing" is learning new things and having to reexamine our basic thoughts and beliefs about how we do stuff.

Good luck,

Ev