What is a no dig garden

No dig gardening is beneficial to your soil, your garden and the environment. "Soil stores a lot of carbon, so the more we dig the more we release carbon into the atmosphere," says Gardener and no dig advocate Emma Jo Real-Davies. "There’s lots of evidence to suggest that digging damages the soil as it upsets its structure, so by leaving it alone, and applying a thick layer of mulch, we’re improving the soil and its structure."

Another benefit of no dig gardening is that it can minimise weeding. The layers of newspaper you put on top of the weeds (more on this below) block out light so, over time, that stops them growing.

There are several different ways to create a no dig bed. You can:

• Make a lasagne garden – a type of flat raised bed with layers of compostable material.
• Try hugelkultur – beds made in a similar way, but with a core of rotting wood at the heart, and a mounded shape.
• Bring in straw bales, top these with compost, or create compost filled planting pockets, and plant into those rather than into the soil.

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Step-by-step guide to the no dig gardening method

1. Prepare area and cover in light-blocking material

Remove any really large weeds by slashing them from the ground (rather than digging them out) and putting them on the compost heap. "Then you need to put down a layer of light-blocking material onto your patch – torn up newspaper is excellent because it breaks down into the soil as it gets moist and plant roots will eventually penetrate through it," Sarah Janisch-Corser, Head of the Kitchen Garden at Cromlix Hotel, owned by Andy Murray, told CL.

"If you are creating a no dig garden onto grass, you should add a layer of manure and lime first to break down the grass," adds Sarah. "This would go under the layer of newspaper. If you are creating a no dig garden on a hard standing, you would put down twigs first to prevent pooling of water."

2. Add your layers

"Next you want to add a layer of kitchen scraps (vegetable peelings, fruit waste, loose tea), then a layer of manure, or a manure/compost mix. (The compost can be home made from leaves, grass cuttings, plant prunings).

Then, add a layer of straw. Then another layer of manure and compost. And then, finally, a final top layer of straw. After you've put down each layer, water it well to leave it nice and moist," advises Sarah.

Your layers in order:

1. If creating a bed on top of soil, go straight to layer 2. If creating a bed on top of grass: manure and lime. If creating a bed on top of a hard surface: twigs.
2. Light-blocking material, like newspaper or cardboard
3. Organic food waste or compost
4. Manure or manure/compost mix
5. Straw
6. Manure or manure/compost mix
7. Straw


3. Make wells for planting

Once you have built up your layers, you create little wells about 10cm deep in the top layer of straw and fill them with compost. Then plant your seeds, seedlings or saplings into the wells.

"Water well and watch your no dig garden grow."



Why are there so many layers in a no dig garden?

The layers in lasagne gardens and hugelkultur mounds are just like the layers in a composting system. It is just that rather than having a dedicated composting area, you are composting right where your plants are to grow (though you should still have a separate compost system too if possible).

"At the base, where you want to create your new growing area, you will usually spread cardboard over the soil (or lawn). This stops grass or weeds growing through from beneath as the bed becomes established," Elizabeth Waddington, from Horticulture.co.uk tells us.

Next, add layers of brown (carbon rich) and green (nitrogen rich) materials and try and make each layer around 5-10cm thick.

Naya Dadara

Ideas for carbon-rich layers are: Untreated and shredded paper/card, autumn leaves, straw, bracken or shredded/ chipped woody material.

Ideas for nitrogen rich layers are: Well-rotted manures, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and other green leafy materials.

"After building up several layers, you can top your new bed with a layer of compost/ loam and plant it up right away. Sow a cover crop or green manure if it is not time to plant crops,' adds Elizabeth.

What do you need to do no dig gardening?
• a patch of ground or an allotment
• cardboard or newspaper
• access to water
• manure
• organic waste/compost
• seeds/plants
• gardening gloves – shop our favourites here
• Suitable clothes for gardening
• a trowel for spreading layers (not digging the soil) if you'd rather not use your hands

How long does it take for a no dig garden to break down?

How long it takes for the materials in your no dig garden to break down will depend on exactly what materials you used. Typically, as in a cold composting system, the materials will have decomposed to create a rich compost or humus in around 6 months to a year.

"Also, take note that the level in the original bed will sink considerably," says Elizabeth.

The beauty of a no dig garden is the fact that you can keep adding mulches of organic material each spring, and throughout the year. So you will always have plenty of organic matter at various stages of decomposition, releasing their nutrients for your growing plants and feeding the microorganisms in the bed and the soil below.

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Does soil need digging after say 4 to 5 years of no digging?

"No, this is a myth and completely untrue," says Charles. "For example, my garden at Lower Farm had it’s best year in the horrible wet summer of 2012, when many growers and gardeners struggled even to get on their land, and that was its 15th consecutive year of no dig."

What Is the No-Dig Gardening Method, and Why You Should Try it This Spring

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Of all the reasons that gardeners give for pursuing their hobby, digging rarely makes the list. Spending time in nature, the joy of nurturing living things, and peace and quiet, surely come up. Even the seemingly mundane task of pulling weeds affords the simple pleasure of looking back on the progress that’s been made. Digging, on the other hand, leads to back pain and blisters. Fortunately, no-dig gardening is an organic method, developed and promoted by Charles Dowding, that gardeners can use to grow beautiful and productive gardens without turning the soil. Read on to learn how it works.

What is the no-dig method of gardening?

Soil has a natural, layered structure in which plants have evolved to thrive. Think of the forest floor, or even a lawn, on which leaves or grass clippings fall regularly. Initially, the dead plant matter is colonized by bacteria and fungi as it lays on the surface. These beneficial microbes begin to convert the organic matter into humus, or natural compost. Eventually, the creatures that live in the soil, such as earthworms and beetles, carry the decomposed material deeper where plant roots can absorb nutrients the soil releases.

The action of the living soil organisms helps to maintain a well-aerated environment that facilitates deep absorption of rainwater and promotes healthy plant growth. The consistent replenishment of nutrient-rich organic material is a naturally occurring equivalent of slow-release fertilizer, and it sustains the entire ecosystem. This is the system that gardeners work with when they use the no-dig gardening method. Rather than aerating the soil with a rototiller or shovel, they simply apply compost on the soil surface at regular intervals and let the soil-dwelling organisms do the rest.

The only soil disturbance within this system is the shallow cultivation necessary to remove an occasional weed or to plant seeds and seedlings. Disturbing soil less leads to fewer weed seeds rising to the surface, while the layers of compost smother many other weed seedlings before they have a chance to grow. Avid no-dig gardeners find that they can plant their gardens earlier in the season than conventional gardeners because the soil does not need to become dry enough to till.

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RELATED: 10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting a Garden

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Why we shouldn’t dig the garden

Gardeners and farmers have turned the soil for thousands of years. Tilling loosens and aerates soil, eliminates weeds and prior crop residues, and stimulates temporary soil microbial activity. Tilling the garden has a habitual and aesthetic appeal that is hard to break. For lots of folks, it just seems right to kick off the garden each spring with a blank, clean slate, so to speak. But digging the soil has negative side effects that work against plant health, weed control, and overall productivity

Tilling the soil disrupts its natural structure and reduces the populations of beneficial organisms that are key to unlocking natural soil fertility. The mechanical action of tilling can kill larger organisms like worms and beetles, plus it stimulates microbes to consume excessive amounts of organic matter. Tilling also brings to the surface weed seeds that lay dormant in the soil. The weeds then sprout and become problematic. Whether it’s a new garden, or a garden that has been tilled regularly for many years, adopting the no-till method can lead to fewer weeds and pests, and boost overall plant health and productivity.

RELATED: All You Need to Know About Starting Seeds Indoors

Why is no-dig gardening beneficial?

A no-till garden offers numerous benefits, notably increased productivity, fewer weeds, and less time spent on chores. Regular applications of compost smother most weed seeds and young seedlings, and provide a rich source of nutrients. The few weeds that grow are easy to remove by hand, or with a shallow, fast-moving hoe. No-dig gardening eliminates the need for owning and maintaining a rototiller, and it eliminates much of the time it takes to prepare a bed for planting. The bed always is ready to plant.

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No-till gardens use less fertilizer, too. Annual applications of high-grade compost provide the nutrient requirements needed for two or more garden crops each year. Millions of beneficial microbes within the compost break organic matter down into natural plant food at a rate that the garden plants can use, eliminating nutrient runoff. These same organisms also contribute to long-term soil improvement as they build humus, the basic organic soil component that promotes good air and water movement through the soil, and is linked to reductions in plant diseases.

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No-dig technique explained

To start a no-dig garden bed, you’ll need to choose a sunny space in the yard. Begin by removing any coarse, woody weeds like briars, vines, and shrubs. Then mow or otherwise cut the remaining vegetation down to the soil level, and leave the clippings in place. Apply a ¼-inch layer of high-quality compost to speed up decomposition of the grass and weed debris. Next, cover the area with a double layer of cardboard to suppress weed germination, soaking each layer with water. Finally, cover the wet cardboard with a 6-inch layer of compost. Let the bed rest four to six weeks before sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings.

Planting and weed removal are the only types of soil disturbance no-dig gardening presents. Unlike conventional gardening practices, growers do not incorporate compost or other soil amendments at planting time. Simply dig a hole the same size as the root ball of the seedling to be planted, insert the seedling, and firm the soil around it. When planting large seeds that are easy to handle individually, like beans, corn, or squash, just press them into the soil without digging. To plant tiny seeds like lettuce, radishes, or carrots, scratch a shallow trough into the soil at the recommended depth, scatter the seeds in the trough, and lightly cover them. Remove weeds by pulling or hoeing at a shallow depth while they are young, before they have a chance to produce flowers or seeds. Cut remnants of old crops, such as tomato vines and bean plants, at ground level and remove them. In some cases, gardeners should remove the roots of old crop plants to make way for the following crop, but this is often unnecessary.

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RELATED: The Tricks of the Trade: Swapping Seeds for Fun and Frugality

How to maintain a no-dig garden

To maintain the garden in a productive, weed-free condition, apply a 1-inch layer of compost annually. The easiest time to apply it is whenever the garden is mostly empty, either late winter or fall for most gardeners. Pull or hoe any weeds that sprout as soon as they appear, before flowering.

A well-planned crop rotation benefits plant growth and health by ensuring that the garden uses nutrients as efficiently as possible. Never grow the same crop in the same space twice in a row. Plant nitrogen-fixing crops like beans, peas, peanuts, or other legumes following heavy feeders like tomatoes, peppers, or potatoes. After nitrogen fixers have been harvested, plant leafy greens like cabbage, lettuce, or spinach that benefit from added nitrogen. In small garden spaces where different plant families mix together, it can become difficult to plan a well-defined rotation. Just be sure to mix a variety of plants within the garden space.

Maintain a high level of fertility through winter, and ensure the bed is ready for spring planting by planting an annual cover crop such as winter field peas, oats, or cereal rye in fall. Cover crops maintain soil structure, scavenge available nutrients, prevent surface erosion, remove excess soil moisture, and provide a source of usable organic matter to benefit the garden. The cover crop will grow until killing cold weather sets in. Cut it at ground level in spring, before it goes to seed, and either leave the debris on the garden to act as mulch or compost it.

No-dig gardening offers a way to unlock natural soil fertility by unleashing the full power of beneficial soil microbes. Bacteria and fungi break down organic debris, releasing plant nutrients as garden crops need them. Earthworm and beetle populations remain high and healthy, allowing them to effectively aerate the soil and transport organic matter through the root zone. The lack of soil disruption in a no-dig system reduces weed pressure because dormant weed seeds remain buried. If you’re looking for a simpler way to garden that promises excellent results, the no-dig method might be right for you.

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"SELF-BROKEN TABLECLOTH", OR A GARDEN WITHOUT DIGGING, WEEDING AND OTHER tedious work, BUT WITH A RICH HARVEST

"These are fairy tales," a sensible gardener will think. do not pull out? .." Meanwhile, a simple way to develop the land, even completely overgrown with weeds, exists. With his help, the author of the article, Yuri Sergeevich Shelaev, an environmental chemist by profession, grew a generous harvest of many crops in the Moscow region last year, including watermelons and melons. With minimal effort and resources. In a word, it really is a fairy tale. The method is new and not quite familiar, but worth a try, as it promises to save time and effort in the hottest springtime. nine0004

Science and life // Illustrations

This is how landing holes are punched.

Seedling bush under double cover.

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So, the place for the garden has been chosen. The main thing is that it is lit by the sun almost all day. Level large pits and bumps, remove large stones. Scatter organic materials suitable for composting on the surface of the soil: leaves, sawdust, straw, kitchen waste, any plant residues, finely chopped branches from pruning trees and shrubs. Two buckets of organic matter per 1 m 9 are quite enough0019 2 land. With poor soil, even if weeds do not grow on it, as well as when planting garden strawberries or perennial crops, the organic layer should be increased to 10 cm thick.

Stepping back from the side border of the site by at least a meter, pull along the future ridge, in its middle, a white or bright colored cord. Pull the next cord, stepping back a meter, parallel to the first. In the future, these two beds, each 50 cm wide, will grow compact, low crops such as onions, lettuce, radishes, dill or parsley. For planting strongly growing vegetables - cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes - place the ridges at a distance of 1.35 m from each other (the distance from the center of one bed to the center of another), and for planting pumpkins, sunflowers, corn - at a distance of 1.5 m. nine0005

Scatter mineral fertilizers evenly along the entire length of the beds in a narrow strip along the cord. In my garden, I use mixtures of fertilizers compiled according to the Mittlider method (see "Science and Life" No. 4, 1992; No. 6, 1993): I add 150 g of mixture No. 1 (dolomite flour or lime with the addition of 1% borax) and 50 g of mixture No. 2 (complex mineral fertilizer with trace elements, with the obligatory presence of magnesium). Adherents of organics can add manure to the soil along the cord, and even better compost. nine0005

Cover the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe garden with an ordinary transparent plastic film - this is the novelty of the method and its amazing possibilities. The film used as a mulching material makes it possible to “tame” weeds without digging, weeding and herbicides. It is customary to use an opaque, most often black film or black non-woven material for this purpose. Unlike black transparent film, by creating greenhouse conditions for weeds, it turns them from crop enemies into a valuable green fertilizer that grows on its own, it does not need to be sown and embedded in the soil. The rays of sunlight when using such a film are not wasted: those that do not fall on the leaves of planted crops go to the green carpet under them. The foliage of this carpet is always provided with carbon dioxide, which is formed in abundance during the decomposition of organic matter introduced under the film in spring. nine0005

The advantage of a transparent film coating does not end there. In warmth and sufficient moisture on organic material under the film actively propagates soil microflora that ensures the absorption of nitrogen. The resulting weak solution nitric acid leaches phosphorus, potassium and numerous trace elements from the mineral soil foundations. In the soil, these elements are found in large quantities, but in insoluble, therefore, in a form inaccessible to plants. Enriched with leached elements soil solution is absorbed by the roots of cultivated plants, which contributes to an increase harvest, and weed roots use it to build up their biomass. At high temperature and air humidity, a significant part of the weed biomass is quickly composted and turns into humus, or black soil. In organic-rich soil, raindrops are bred worms, through their deep passages air enters the lower layers of the soil and easily penetrates roots of plants, and in the rainy period, excess moisture is removed. nine0005

On hot days, under a transparent film, of course, it is hot, but only the tops of the weeds dry up. The resulting "hay" protects the underlying layers from overheating. The soil in which the roots of plants are located does not dry out, at night the water vapor rising from its deep layers condenses on the film, the condensate moisturizes the top layer of soil rich in organic matter, and the organic matter holds water like a sponge. In cool weather and at night, the soil heated under the film gives off heat to the plants on the film, and the covering material, like a blanket, holds it. nine0005

It is most convenient to use a new plastic film as a "self-assembly", but you can get by with a used one that has not lost its strength. Cloth overlap each other by 10-15 cm; cuts in the old film can be sealed with adhesive tape. Press the edges of the film to the ground with long, unplaned scraps of fresh lumber (slugs do not like to settle under prickly boards).

Landing holes on the film are easy to mark with chalk or a felt-tip pen, and it is not difficult to make them with a stake made of hard wood, such as birch, sharpened on one side like a pencil. With a sharp blow, pierce the cone-shaped holes with the sharp end of the stake at the planting site, expand them in a circular motion to the size corresponding to the root coma of the seedlings or the diameter, for example, of the future root crop. If the depth of the resulting hole is insufficient, repeat the blow. On very heavy soil, it is more expedient to use a crowbar instead of a wooden stake. nine0005

For sowing seeds, you can use a small planting stake with a diameter of about 2 cm and a length of up to 90 cm.

Punch holes along the entire length of the beds; the marking cord should be in the middle. Make the extreme holes at the beginning and end of the ridge at a distance of at least 0.5 m from the edge of the film. Leave the intervals between the holes depending on the crop: for beets, onions and other low crops (in two rows) - 5 cm, for cucumbers and tomatoes (in one row) - 20 cm, for corn, daikon, kohlrabi - 30 cm, for all types of cabbage (staggered) - 35 cm, for zucchini, watermelons and melons (in one row) - 70 cm, pumpkins - 100 cm.

Sow cold-resistant crops first: all types of cabbage (for seedlings), watercress, radish, parsley, dill, carrots, onions. A couple of weeks after the first crops, it's time for peas, beans, lettuce, beets. In early May - cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, closer to June - watermelons and melons (for seedlings) and tomato seedlings.

In the prepared holes intended for sowing seeds, pour moistened soil prepared from sawdust and compost (a bucket of sawdust, half a bucket of compost) or peat soil used for growing seedlings into a small slide. Ordinary garden soil will not work: it may contain seeds, weed roots, or pests. nine0005

Sow from 10 to 20 seeds in large holes (for radishes and carrots - no more than 5 pieces, beets - 1 piece), in small holes - 1-2 seeds. Align the mound of earth by pressing lightly with the palm of your hand. When planting seedlings, moisten the root ball well in advance and lower it into the holes on the torn edges of the film. The edges recessed into the holes will not allow weed roots to grow inside the holes and protect the plantings from insect pests living under the film and in the uppermost soil layer. If a bear has settled in your garden or the area is littered with creeping wheatgrass, I recommend putting covers made of non-woven material (spunbond) directly into the holes or just rags of this material rolled into bags. The roots of seedlings will easily grow through them into the ground, and for pests such a cone is an insurmountable barrier. nine0005

After planting, water the plants abundantly, cover with loose and moistened soil, which was mentioned above, and cover the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe garden with a thin (17 or 30 g/m ² ) covering non-woven fabric. Press the edges to the ground, like a film, and even better with it. Lay the panels loosely - so as not to interfere with the plants to grow under them. In the future, you will not often need to water the garden: a double shelter will prevent the aimless evaporation of moisture, and prolonged rains will not turn it into a swamp. In the same places where puddles form on the film, make punctures with a thin needle, and the water will go away. In order not to bend over, the needle can be fixed on a long stick. nine0005

Fast-growing crops such as corn, sunflowers, and string beans will need to be removed shortly. Do this after frost is over and place supports under the plants. Open bee-pollinated cucumbers, zucchini after flowering for pollination by insects. Cruciferous crops (cabbage, turnip, radish, radish), on the other hand, should be permanently closed, open them only at harvest. Peppers and tomatoes can be grown under covering material without supports. Plant varieties that do not require pinching and do not worry about them until the first fruits ripen. nine0005

At the end of the season, remove all plant debris from the site and remove the film. Let the weeds grow a little and add some organics, including the tops of grown vegetables.

In October, plant winter onions, garlic and bulbs (tulips, daffodils), if you haven’t done it before. Cover the plantings instead of covering material with the collected foliage, and in the spring leave it in the garden for the whole next season.

Using the new method, perennial vegetables, flowers, garden strawberries and shrubs can be grown. When planting bushes with a large clod of earth, it is more convenient to dig holes of the right size with a shovel. Make cruciform cuts in the film according to the size of the hole, dig it, plant bushes, cover it with the excavated earth, water it and cover it with the corners of the film. Cuts on the film are best sealed with tape. nine0005

When planting strawberry bushes designed for several years, apply long-decomposing organic fertilizers: sawdust, shavings, spruce and pine needles, chopped branches. It is good to add AVA or Kemira universal fertilizer, as well as dolomite flour. You can renew planting strawberries at any time and in any weather. Make holes in those places where new plants are needed, and plant a mustache in them without tearing them off from the mother plant. It is not necessary to water and sprinkle with special soil, one hundred percent survival is guaranteed. No weeding or laborious mustache trimming is required. All mustaches that do not find soil under themselves will wither themselves. nine0005

The method is new and, of course, has not been tested on all cultures. For example, what is the best grow carrots? Sow many seeds in a large hole or one seed at a time into frequently made small holes?

Does it make sense to grow potatoes in a new way, because when harvesting its tubers, you will have to dig out from the plexus of weed roots? Will the tubers turn green? Is this method acceptable over large areas? In the southern regions, the new method is suitable for heat-loving crops with widely growing leaves (pumpkins, cucumbers) and gourds, but other crops will have to be protected in the summer months from overheating of the roots, scattering, for example, straw over the film. But the vegetable season will become almost year-round. Surely this method will be liked by residents of the northern regions, the Urals and Siberia. nine0005

Details on the site http://gr-sam. narod.ru

How to dig in the garden: beds, potatoes, horseradish, with a shovel

Seeing how inexperienced summer residents hold a shovel in their hands, we decided to tell everyone how to dig in the garden, so much so as to benefit the soil and not harm yourself.

We are absolutely serious, and now you have before you not a comic, but quite serious material, and even instructions for using a shovel in the country, so to speak. Literally the current warm season prompted us to write it, when young people were seen in many suburban areas. Naturally, this is very good, because young people cultivate the land, which means they are busy with useful work. But it is precisely on this that the positive from what he saw ends, since a shovel in his hands is not yet a reason for applause. First, you need to learn how to dig correctly, and only then you can take up the tool.

Contents

• 1 How to handle a shovel correctly (video)
• 2 How to dig soil in the garden: instructions
• 3 How to quickly dig a garden (video)
• 4 How to dig a garden without leg injury
• 5 How to dig garden without corns
• 6 How not to dig a garden bed (video)

How to properly handle a shovel (video)

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How to dig soil in the garden: instructions

Now we will provide you with just a few points that will tell you in detail how to dig in the garden or in the garden.

The most important thing in such a process is the right choice of tool

• One hand rests on the edge of the shovel handle, the other hand is a little further, holding the handle in the palm of your hand, the foot is placed on the top of the shovel tray and pressure is applied down into the ground, preferably at a slight angle. nine0080
• Once the shovel blade is in the soil, you need to get into a more comfortable position for lifting and dumping the earth, which means you need to step back, bend a little and apply pressure on the shovel handle, intercepting with one hand even closer to the tray.
• Now, you can bend your knees a little and press down on the handle as much as possible, which, with the effect of a lever, will pull the earth out of the hole.
• Lift the shovel with soil, turn it over and lower it into the hole, hit the shovel blade several times on the largest clods of earth to break them up. nine0080

You see, it's very easy to dig with a shovel, it's strange that for many it doesn't work the first time.

Once again, we remind you that the material on how to properly dig the soil is only for beginners in summer cottages, gardens and gardens, and does not apply to experienced summer residents who themselves are able to give such advice.

How to quickly dig up a garden (video)

How to dig a vegetable garden without leg injuries

It often happens that at the moment of excitement or anger, we forget about safety precautions, and we want to break a large earthen lump, kill a root or stem of a large weed with a shovel blade, and so on. But, it often happens that such an action can injure the performer of this work. To prevent this from happening, try to take the process seriously, not be nervous during work, keep a safe distance between the shovel and legs during such actions, and also try to dig in closed shoes, for example, in boots.

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