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When to dig?

sarah adams3sarah adams3 Posts: 1
in Wildlife gardening

Hi, we have recently moved to a new house. There are some large overgrown vegetable patches which I would like to use next year. When is the best time of year for me to dig them over but having the least impact on wildlife? I have already seen foxes hiding in the long grass. I am happy to leave it over winter if insects are already hibernating or should I do it now before the cold weather arrives?

Thanks,

Sarah

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 33,339

    yeah Sarah. No time like the present.

    Devon.
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    After you have dug it over it can be left rough for the frost to break down.
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    dig it when its dry, and I don't mean the day after its stopped raining! lol. You need a couple of decent dry days before you start digging otherwise you trample the soil flat again and you're back in the same situation you had at the start.

    Don't dig after a hard frost either, as you can turn the frosted surface into the deep soil where it can stay frozen for months.

    dig it over and leave big clumps, these will breakdown with the rain and frost, then top dress with organic matter (compost, well rotted manure etc) in early spring.

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