Ours is very rocky, sandy also, and so very compact. It was like trying to dig up concrete with just a standard spade and square shovel. Thus the reasoning for starting with the strawbale garden last year, which has other advantages tooFor years after our house was built, I’d have problem spots in my lawn where the grass would die or almost would when it got hot out. I’d dig a little bit and find a roof shingle, soda can, or just rocks near the surface. You wouldn’t want to dig here. We have lots of clay.