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Sorry, just trying to be catchy. I really want to know how deep I need to dig to renew a bed that was never properly done to begin with. I am removing massive quantities of rocks, some of them about six inches around. Mixed in with these is a layer of what we used to call hardpan, an impenetrable sand that is more like rock than sand. Now the bed itself is not that big---maybe 20 or 25 feet long by about four feet wide. I plan to make it my Japanese garden annex, with an assortment of shade loving plants and some that I just HOPE will be shade tolerant. So far my big nemesis has been the rain, along with what to do with all the rocks. I am digging with a fork, but am I stupid or something? I am basically digging a hole, but when I stand in the hole, I am then packing down the dirt that I hope will be lite and fluffy later on. At first I used a mattock to loosen up the topsoil that was choked with weeds. That worked well, but it's treacherous inside the hole, plus a bit too heavy for me after awhile. Had this spot been bigger, it would have been worth it to rent a machine. I am trying to be tidy, as I just repaired the fence and don't want to damage it. I know I am whining a lot, but I just want this to be over. A plant guy on TV said to just plant around the rocks, but honestly, when you have too many rocks, you cannot insert a tool to dig weeds in the beds or in the lawn. I just want to prepare this bed ONCE! Does anyone else have experience with this situation? Obviously the water must be going somewhere, or my yard would be a flood zone. I am currently digging down about a foot.
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