Now that many/most of us are into the thinking about gardening season, wanted to share a little about my new approach--it is a no-dig raised bed intensive approach. Way back when I was a double-digger commercial grower, which is a bit nuts, I did a 3 year random block trial of double digging vs single digging, 16 beds each--so had paired plots that would each be planted in the same crop, one double dug and one single dug--no edge for double digging at all. Weighed everything as it was harvested. I am now on a sandy plot in New England, and older, so, last September when we moved in I started converting the front yard--when you garden in the front yard, you are more likely to keep it well weeded, lol. I loosened the soil with a fork just enough to be able to easily hand pull the grass, shaped 4 foot wide beds with some of the path soil being tossed in, added a wee bit of blood meal--N is about all this soil needs, compost on top of that, then lightly covered the compost with more soil from the path and planted. to replant, crops out, I use a small co-linear hoe (like a 2-3 inch razor at the right angle) to catch small weeds, shape with a garden rake, nudging a little of the soil into the paths, and then repeat. I have wondered how I would be adjusting my methods as I aged, and this is it. I am fierce with weeds, propagate most of my own seedlings and plant densely. I am very pleased with results so far. Will try for pictures in the spring. Not for heavy soils--I was trained on the clay soils of N Ca.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I am now in sandy soils too, but do remember shovels caked with clay in Northern California and also Eugene. Miserable stuff even after adding yards and yards of compost.
bobbio52
Level 5
Nov 12, 2019
0
@DavidDuhon Yep, me too on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where your knees would get soak when you knelt down too hard.
Nice to see you are following my posts. I have just "followed" you as well. The site is glitching me lately. Can't message, can't receive them, and can't post pictures, just within the past several days. I see pics from other users, though. Hmm..
Seems you started out in Louisiana and made your way out. I started in western Washington State, then to college in New Orleans, grad school and early career in Alabama, and back to southeastern Louisiana (land of opportunity? 
) I still hope to retire elsewhere, but that is likely some 15 years away. I love the idea of settling in my late mother's hometown of Eugene, OR, which is lovely and roughly located between my brothers, who are in Washington and northern Arizona. Ultimately, I may follow my son to wherever he might settle. But who knows 15 years ahead?
MikeInBatonRouge
Level 8
Nov 10, 2019
0
Cool! I garden mostly in my front yard, because in spring, summer, and early fall, that is where I get sun. The back is entirely shaded by mature water oaks, which btw like to rudely drop branches without warning, lol. In winter that same back yard has dappled sun most of the day, so I am still pondering ideas for how to best use that. I am thinking of making 2 or 3 cheap cold frames for starting plants in late winter.
Anyway, the whole place is dense, mostly clay soil, so my front yard is now full of raised beds. I am all in favor of NOT digging. In my case, digging to amend soil would result in a soup bowl effect, capturing water and drowning my plants. (The initial 18" drainage test hole I dug in the yard 2 years ago didn't drain ANY of the water poured in, even after 48 hours!) I have started most of the beds with sheets of old cardboard laid down first, to kill off weeds. Then I have built 6 to 12 inches of rich organic soil on top. I see lots of earthworms, so hopefully some of that goodness is making its way down into the clay benearh. In any case, it has spared my 50+ year old back some unnecessary aching, and the plants seem happy. 
MikeInBatonRouge
Level 8
Nov 10, 2019
1
@DavidDuhon I double dug my first ornamentals bed, because I wanted a decoratve fence and therefore couldn't reasonably raise it much. 24 inches down. Layer of gravel, barrier cloth, then mix of mulch and native clay, the 3-4 inches of improved soil on top, above grade. It worked, but I never want to do that again! Lol
I would post a picture, but the site hasn't let me post any pics the past several days. Argh.
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