SOIL STRUCTURE
We currently re-prepare the soil after each crop, except
for autumn compost crops. Some people prefer to do
this only once each year. 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 just a sign that you
and your soil are successful. The goal of double-digging
is not the height of the bed, but the looseness and good
structure of the soil.
ENDNOTES
1 For More information on growing soil quality and soil structure, see
“Table 20.1—Qualitative Soil Health Indicators” in U.S. Department
of Agriculture/Agriculture Research Service, Soil Quality Test Kit
(Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agriculture
Research service, 1999); and Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es,
Building Soils for Better Crops, 2nd ed. (Burlington, VT: Sustainable
Agriculture Network, 2000).