We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Home

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Double Digging?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 6,118
Share

Double digging is a gardening practice in which the soil is worked deep down. This promotes excellent drainage and the development of strong, healthy crops and plants. Plants tend to be healthier in a double dug bed, and crops will often have an increased yield. Double digging is a lot of work, but some gardeners feel that the effort is worth it in the long run, especially if they work in small areas of the garden at a time so that they do not become overwhelmed with the task.

The “double” in “double digging” refers to the idea that the digging is down to two shovel-depths down, rather than just one, as is more conventional. This task needs to be done when the soil is moist, but not wet, and definitely not when the soil is dry. Gardeners start by digging a trench and emptying the soil into a wheelbarrow. Then, they loosen the soil at the bottom of the trench with a pitchfork or with more digging. Some gardeners also add soil amendments such as well-finished compost.

Next, a trench is dug beside the original trench, with the soil from the new trench going into the first trench. As soil is transferred, materials like rocks can be removed and set aside. The soil in the bottom of that trench is worked, another trench is dug beside it, and so forth. Gardeners can repeat this process until they have dug out the area they want, emptying the soil from the first trench into the last trench.

Double digging loosens the soil, offers an opportunity to introduce soil amendments to condition it, and allows gardeners to pull out rocks and other objects which can interfere with the health of plants in the bed. A double dug bed usually continues to be productive for several growing seasons, allowing people to take some time off before redoing the bed.

One important thing to be aware of with double digging is that walking on the beds compacts the soil and undoes much of the good work. People should be reminded to stay out of beds which have been prepared with double digging, and gardeners should make sure that garden paths are wide enough for people, garden trolleys, wheelbarrows, and so forth to pass freely between the beds. It's also important to avoid placing heavy objects in a double dug bed; things like sacks of mulch should be placed in a garden path while they are in use so that they do not compress the soil in a double dug bed.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-double-digging.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.