NO-DIG DAY 3RD NOVEMBER 23

For those interested in or wishing a simpler way to manage vegetable growing, I draw your attention to Charles Dowdings recent Youtube to celebrate No Dig Day 2023

 

I'm sure we've had this conversation before? I'm sure I said
'what is this 'dig' you speak of?' or words to that effect...as in I don't dig at anytime of year....we let the worms do the work

 

Always wonder how many average gardeners can come up with sheds loads of compost to throw onto those no dig beds ?

Had to smile at a no dig advocate the other day, cannot remember if it was tv or a magazine, but they said in Autumn you can sow some of the many green manures to help the empty beds against the heavy winter rains and then in Spring you Dig it in to enrich the soil...hmmm...

 

I always wonder where they expect you to come up with all that manure when using no dig, I dont see it as practical for the average suburban garden.
I have used green manure in the past to good effect and I think it works but its hardly no dig probably the opposite.

 

You spread what you can in autumn/winter as crops come out. For cover/green manures a good idea is to use white mustard which dies with frosts below -5c, that means you don't need to dig it as it just dies. Or use field beans or winter rye and have a crop of them in summer.



I wish I'd done no dig years ago, it's a time saver and gives me bigger crops. For weeding you just hoe whenever it's dry enough. This summer has been awful as it's been so wet, so it doesn't always work, I've been pulling out weeds since July. Overall I'd still recommend no dig.

 

If you do not turnover the soil, by digging , you get few weeds, as the seedbank does not renew Any that do appear tend to be blow-ins, and can be stopped at an early stage while still in the loose compost layer.Having converted old lawn turf by covering, I have had a (very) few lawn weeds emerge in year two. If you need to extract a dock, say, then the fork will assist without turning up a spit (full of seeds!)
Rather than hoe, I tend to do any weed seedling control with a 3prong drag.

 

By using the time saved, in 'sourcing' compost materials/manure from any (free!) local supply.,

I think this is at cross purpose. Green manure/cover crop would be to keep root structures open to encourage soil organisms 'off season' Have you not noticed the quality of the soil structure beneath, say, a dead- nettle when you have weeded it out? , or the high probability of an earthworm found around the root?

 

But conventional digging- in of manure would need 2-3 times the amount. Lawrence D. Hills recommended 10kg/sq. metre tri-yearly in his book ORGANIC GARDENING

 

You give the worms a trowel

 

I don't get hold of enough compost or manure to do it either way, I rely I what comes out my compost bin and fertiliser.
I don't have the means of collecting manure and don't really have the capability or access to get large enough amounts to my garden.

 

Now, I had to Google this
Its the ideal solution. Large garden, endless mowing/grazing, on site production; every one's a winner








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