Compost applications will help very sandy or clayey
soils to have better structure. However, sometimes food-
growers decide to add sand or clay to improve the
texture. Ecology Action recommends experimenting with
a bed a season or two before making such a decision. If
you choose to add sand or soil, spread a ½-inch layer on
the bed area before the double-dig and mix in
thoroughly in the top 12 inches with a spading fork.
Prepared Beds
Whenever you reprepare a bed (after each crop or
season) until good structure is created, the 24-inch depth
of the bed should be measured from the bed, not from
the path surface. Ecology Action reprepares the soil
between crops with a double- or single-dig (loosening
the +rst 12 inches of soil with the fork). As your soil
improves and the large clods disappear, your bed may
not raise as high as initially. Do not worry about this. It
is a sign that you and your soil are successful. The goal of
double-digging is not the height of the bed, but a
reasonable looseness and good structure of the soil.
Once good structure has been established by double-
digging, it is preferable to use surface cultivation (the
loosening of the upper two inches of soil with a
cultivating tool such as a hula hoe) for several years, or
more. In this way, the developed structure and soil
organic matter are better preserved.