Dug up a old 60 year old shrub+. I know the native soil.....and the soil underneath the shrub was as it was amended heavily under the root ball... It had some tilth, did not need to pound on the shovel, it was not mucky.

Is this normal for soil where the rootball is to transform over time. Just short of shrub getting water and it being a nice home for worms, and the roots + fallen leaves, etc. I was expecting to fight with mucky clay but it was the complete opposite.

We've been feeding the soil heavy with compost/wood since we have moved in. Maybe this has played a role ? In other areas still, with the same heavy compost,wood - I have dug up areas with no irrigation and no rain for weeks and it was mucky wet on the 1st shovel.

For sure I have noticed areas where we have amended has changed the soil. Wasn't expecting that for the soil directly under the ~rootball~ if not 18 inches deep, to be just as nice and tilthy