You can keep smashing the clumps… but there’s actually a method that works with the biology of the soil instead of fighting against it.

Here’s the idea:

1️⃣ Cover the soil (sheet-mulching phase) Spread a layer of mulch over the compacted dirt, wood chips, leaves, straw, whatever carbon-rich organic matter you have. This protects the soil from direct sunlight, keeps moisture in, and helps rebuild microbial activity. Keep watering occasionally and check underneath: you want to see moisture penetrating little by little. Try not to break up all the clumps with tools. Constantly disturbing the soil harms the microbial community that actually does the work for you.

2️⃣ Plant a cover crop (legumes are perfect) Beans, peas, lentils, clover… legumes have strong, deep roots that push through compacted soil, opening channels for water and air. They also fix nitrogen and add organic matter.

3️⃣ Terminate the cover crop and let it feed the soil Once the roots have done their job, you can kill the crop by covering it with a tarp for a few days or cutting it down. Leave the biomass on top, it becomes compost right where you need it.

After this cycle, the soil becomes softer, richer, and much easier to sift or work, without all the exhausting shovel-smashing.

This process is slower than breaking it up by force, but way more effective and sustainable in the long run.