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Italy

Hi everyone, 2015 is almost done, I would ask my last question this year to people more experienced than me. How deep can go main root and secondary roots in the soil? How deep I should till my clay-rich soil?
Btw happy new year to everyone, wish you huge and heavy kins!

12/31/2015 2:16:46 PM

South Hero, VT

Main root goes down at least 2 feet. Secondary roots go down 4-8 inches, depending on ferts and soil quality. You need lots of organic matter in the form of a cover crop(s), compost, and some sand for a heavy clay soil. The deeper you go, the better the drainage.

I'm using a broadfork with 16 inch tines to work my patch.

1/1/2016 10:33:12 AM

Italy

Thanks for replying Steve, I don't have too much water retention as my patch is in a considerable slope. I started a new patch for 2016 the soil have been wild for very long time, so I had to remove old trees roots and other bad stuff in there. I used a small escavator to work the whole patch, going deep for about 2 feet then sowed crop and tilled a bit to cover seeds with a rototiller. As you say I think it should be fine. Also added 2 cubic yards of well composted manure to soften a bit the soil.

1/1/2016 1:04:15 PM