Which one do you prefer: Dig or no dig?
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I know you will say that and it sounds the real you! Seeing it in black and white confirms my perception. I will be WORRIED if you do.. 
Nice to crack harmless jokes, but of course, it's off topic .. can't really talk about doing nothing in winter in the garden all the times.. (er, I've just got out of bed - in a bad hurry as I got up very late!) Hope you feel better coming to the forum - a place for bantering, experience sharing, bragging, ranting on pet hates, scoring points and a bit of virtual friendship which could mean ZILCH!
Nice to crack harmless jokes, but of course, it's off topic .. can't really talk about doing nothing in winter in the garden all the times.. (er, I've just got out of bed - in a bad hurry as I got up very late!) Hope you feel better coming to the forum - a place for bantering, experience sharing, bragging, ranting on pet hates, scoring points and a bit of virtual friendship which could mean ZILCH!
I dig deep and often I always add leaves and what ever I have in layers .
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Hollow? What's underneath then?
Do you have snakes? I don't mind ants, but I have had no encounter with termites and they might be a different beast altogether.
I hope it's not this kind of hole
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/property/845643/property-two-bedroom-lancashire-rawtenstall
This hole exposed an underground stream and the council threatened the houseowner with £55k to have it repaired. Crikey! Some guy says 2 planks and a hammer will mend the hole. Council does know how to rip people off!
Oh crumbs! Have I been off topic? Or is there some kind of parallel? It might be worth your while investigating what causes these holes. Could be a stream?!
Ouch, I suspect that might cost a small fortune and I was going to add, as it's not 2 foot deep then I don't mind a bit of digging.
Welcome to the forum, @AshridgeTrees
I've found out that there is always a lot of digging in my case. I do admire the ethos of no-dig; but if I don't dig, the clay pan will drown everything and the only things that would do well will be Acanthus, geraniums and poppies.
2 foot deep is very DEEP! Haha! Whenever I had to plant a 3L pot, I got very frustrated as I could never dig that deep. Well, I'm kind of lazy and blasée. Last time, I planted a big pot of chrysanthemum priced origiinaly £19, I literally told the root ball to stay put. I was that bad.
Logan
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I don't dig around the plants only if I've got to plant anything. Then i'll put in some grit, I've got clay soil as well.
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We're all clay too. Nasty stuff so my gardens are raised beds. Not nearly as much as others here but enough to keep me happy.
I just keep adding stuff. And only dig to make a hole for a plant. Lazy Lori...
I just keep adding stuff. And only dig to make a hole for a plant. Lazy Lori...
We're all clay too. Nasty stuff so my gardens are raised beds. Not nearly as much as others here but enough to keep me happy.
I just keep adding stuff. And only dig to make a hole for a plant. Lazy Lori...
That sounds like me. Even the holes are never deep enough. Mind you, I did get a lot of horse manure every year and incorporate it into the clay and I threw the clay clods against the wall and floor in an attempt to break down. They are broke. And just to show you what kind of soil I have.
Logan
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If i dig a hole, one spade down i come to proper clay, like what's used to make crockery. So i dig it out and throw it away. Redditch is like that, they only used the land for animals,not growing things.
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No wonder pottery was so darned common going back forever... clay...
I tbrew a bunch of clay in a corner of my yard behind a tree. Then felt badly about the red mound so threw malva seeds and a little potting soil (one I had purchased and didn't lime the texture) on top. They grew. Spring will tell how well that will work out.
Maybe I should start gifting clay bricks as paperweights
I tbrew a bunch of clay in a corner of my yard behind a tree. Then felt badly about the red mound so threw malva seeds and a little potting soil (one I had purchased and didn't lime the texture) on top. They grew. Spring will tell how well that will work out.
Maybe I should start gifting clay bricks as paperweights
Logan
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It's the grey clay that we've got.
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Soils are interesting because there are 12 types, and within each type the weather in that geographic area creates a sub-type due to water flow or not and heat or not, and this climate action gives the soil its interactive properties.
Here is a interactive geological soil survey map link. It takes a little drilling down, but there is a legend as to the basic soil name, and from that name one can then research to the subtype descriptions and hopefully further describe the soil in the area. The reason this is important is it underlies the particular amendments which are most useful for a particular soil and describes the physical action occuring that causes the soil to be a certain way relative to PH, and lack of or abundance of oxygen, water, major and minor nutients and micro nutrients as well as the longevity or even need for organic matter.
The Link:
https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=2e4d6668f0654abbbb6b37819812a25d (click open in map viewer).
Here is a interactive geological soil survey map link. It takes a little drilling down, but there is a legend as to the basic soil name, and from that name one can then research to the subtype descriptions and hopefully further describe the soil in the area. The reason this is important is it underlies the particular amendments which are most useful for a particular soil and describes the physical action occuring that causes the soil to be a certain way relative to PH, and lack of or abundance of oxygen, water, major and minor nutients and micro nutrients as well as the longevity or even need for organic matter.
The Link:
https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=2e4d6668f0654abbbb6b37819812a25d (click open in map viewer).
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