Lumps and Bumps

Just in case you're wondering, can I make something quite clear: This is not the lawn! No, it's a field of spring corn.

This lumpy soil has stood up to the recent rains very well, unlike the one we saw last week. This is almost certainly because it contains more humus (formed from organic matter), which gives it structure.

Before planting seeds, many of us think it is necessary to break down soil almost to dust. Not so, as you can see. Provided there is enough food in the seed to sustain growth until the young shoot (plumule) can reach light, lumps can be accommodated quite easily. In fact, they are a good thing, because they help maintain structure. Even very fine seeds would germinate in a soil such as this, although perhaps not so well as they would in a finer one (Bet you're glad to hear that!).

Another common misconception is that all stones need removing. A surface containing small stones can be a very good thing, especially if the soil has a tendency to pan. As soil dries, it shrinks away from the stone edges leaving gaps, thus allowing air and water to penetrate where it could not before. i.e. It keeps the surface open.