How to double-dig a vegetable plot
If you want to grow vegetables but don't have an existing plot, you'll need to double dig to ensure it's weed free. Here's our step-by-step guide to double-digging a vegetable plot.
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So you want to grow vegetables but don’t have an existing plot? You’ll need to dig up a corner of the garden – and to make sure your new plot is as weed-free as possible, you need to double-dig. It’s hard work but worth it.
Step 1
Mark out the area you want to turn into a veg plot. Keep your plots small – just wide enough so that you can reach the middle from each side.
Step 2
Dig a trench that is the length of one end of bed – at least 30 cm (1ft) deep and 30cm wide – and put the excavated soil into a wheelbarrow.
Step 3
Now dig the next section of the bed. As you dig, turn the soil over so that the turf and weeds lies face down at the bottom of the first trench.
Step 4
You’ve now filled the first trench, with a second trench waiting empty. Add compost if you wish. Continue to dig trenches, filling the one behind.
Step 5
At the end, fill the last trench with the soil from the wheelbarrow. You should now have a row of nicely turned earth. Leave over winter to break down.
Step 6
In early spring, weed and rake your new vegetable plot, ready for sowing!
