THE BEAUTY OF NO-DIG
DISCOVER THE METHOD THAT SAVES TIME AS WELL AS IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF SOIL, PLANTS AND CROPS
AT ITS simplest, no-dig gardening involves mulching soil with compost, rather than laboriously digging it over, thereby boosting the soil’s natural ecosystem. There are many benefits to this method of gardening, which can save time as it cuts out the need to spend hours weeding and digging over beds and borders, and by improving the soil health it will also help you achieve bigger and better plants and crops.
THE NO-DIG METHOD ‘No-dig leaves soil undisturbed, and instead you feed the masses of soil life with organic matter on the surface, as happens in nature,’ explains Charles Dowding, the pioneer of no-dig gardening and world authority on the subject.
The organic matter, such as homemade compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mulch or other compostable materials will, over time, decompose as the soil organisms get to work breaking it down and incorporating it into the soil.
BENEFITS OF NO DIG Charles has been using the no-dig method in his gardens for 40 years, and on a range of different soil types. The benefits include improved soil drainage and aeration, garden beds require less watering and overall it requires less work, effort and time as a gardener. It also results in fewer weeds – ‘fewer weeds germinate in undisturbed soil, and compost mulches on the surface make it easier to pull weeds,’ explains Charles. Plants are healthier and more resilient as a result of this method, carbon is retained in the soil, plus it’s kinder to the environment and it improves soil structure and deters slugs.
HOW TO BEGIN To start no-dig gardening, give yourself plenty of planning time for picking your site and beginning to prepare for planting.
1. Put down a weed suppressing barrier. Once you have decided on the beds or areas you wish to convert to no-dig, the first step is to cover the area with a weed suppressing barrier. Charles recommends using light-excluding biodegradable material, such as brown cardboard, in the first year to kill perennial weeds.
2. Add organic mulch. ‘Over the cardboard layer, add thick layers of organic matter, such as homemade compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mulch, straw or grass clippings,’ advises celebrity gardener David Domoney. Each layer should be about 15cm deep. This method does require patience, as it can take six to 12 months for the area to be cultivated ready for planting.
3. Plant. When beginning with no-dig gardening, the soil remains fairly shallow. Therefore, plan shallow rooted crops for the first plantings, such as lettuce and leafy greens, radish, kale or chard. In subsequent years, you can choose your pick of the crops.
It can also be used for ornamental flower beds or in cut flower gardens – you simply need to top up the layer of compost or organic matter on the beds season after season.
IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH ‘No-dig gardening focuses on protecting and nourishing the natural life of soil, encouraging worms, beneficial bacteria and fungi to thrive, making the soil richer and improving its structure,’ advises George Davies, founder of For Peat’s Sake, supplier of peat-free, eco-coir compost.
Digging the soil damages and disrupts mycorrhizal fungal networks, so the no-dig method will help your soil build these incredibly important underground ecosystems, which in turn will help you produce more successful yields on healthier plants.
“WEEDS ARE PART OF SOIL’S RECOVERY MECHANISM AND, LIKE ALL ORGANISMS THAT ARE ALIVE, SOIL IS HAPPIER WHEN IT IS NOT DISTURBED”
CHARLES DOWDING, English
horticulturalist and author