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Each year we think we’ve finished the vegetable plots and each year we end up digging more.  I guess we get greedier every year and so need more space for everything we want to grow.  This week it dawned on us that there wasn’t really anywhere to plant the potatoes we planned.  I think we got a bit cabbage crazy and took up all the space with those.  So we used the fact there’s been a little bit of rain and the soil is a little bit moist and got digging.

We set out beds about 1.5 metres by 7 metres and double dig them.  It’s a bit of a pain as it means digging two spades deep and then incorporating lots and lots of compost, manure, straw or whatever we have to hand.  Then we spend a lifetime never ever walking on the vegetable plots.  It means the soil never gets truly compacted and only ever needs a light forking over in subsequent years.  The thought of digging a new bed always leaves me cold but the joy of a future with no more digging is worth it.

The soil in a double dug plot should remain light but humus rich for years to come especially as we add more compost or manure as they become empty through the year.  In a dry climate double digging is ideal as the soil really does hold the water so much better and, because the soil doesn’t get compacted any rain that does fall percolates into the bed rather than washing off it.

So we’ve dug another plot this week for the potatoes.  We’ve enriched it with lots of well rotted compost but no manure as its only 6 weeks or so till we’ll be planting.  We’ve sited the plot next to the compost bins so it may benefit from previous years run-off enriching the soil.   We won’t be using the bin next to the plot while there are root-crops growing as I wouldn’t want fresh run-off from them contaminating our food.   It’s also under an olive tree (on the terrace above) so will get some afternoon shade.  That will be really useful as potatoes aren’t that happy with soaring daytime temperatures.

I just wonder if we’ll ever reach the point where we don’t want any more vegetable plots… I kind of doubt it!