Add plenty of organic matter and rake, rake, rake. Don't let the soil dry out too much as it'll set solid (as you may have already found out). I use an azada - allows me to get a fair bit of momentum and clout to break up the big stuff. I then dig in loads of compost and just keep raking, and azada-ing (?) until it breaks down. Then I rake some more, or use the hoe to loosen it up.

__________________
A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Tuscany update - 27th September

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png