Does no dig gardening really work?

[Oliver Buckle]

I remember reading a woman years ago who bought bales of hay. She covered her garden in hay, when she wanted to plant something she parted the hay to expose a little patch of bare ground and planted in that, Then brought the hay back around the plant as it grew. When she got weeds she pushed them down and put a handful of hay on top of them. I don't know how productive it was, but I remember thinking it must have been a garden well sheltered from wind.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am giving a neighbor a bag of sugar hidden as a secret soil enhancer with formulas and everything ! Merry Christmas! 15 mL per L!

 

[Meadowlark]

Does "No Dig" work?

My results indicate at least a 3 to 1 reduction in production from "No Dig". That does not work in my book...but perhaps it does in yours.

Type	Planting Date	Production No Dig	Production Organic	Production HK Container
​	​	​	​	​
Sarpo Mira potatoes	Aug. 29	38​	73​	98​
Lieutenant broccoli	Aug. 28	22​	97​	56​
Swiss Chard	Aug. 29	1.9​	34​	64​
Prizm kale	Aug. 29	3​	8​	12​
Early Wakefield Cabbage	Sept. 1	6​	87​	28​
Sprouting Broc	Sept. 1	​	8.1​	8.3​
radish white	7-Sep​	35​	40​	40​
Radish red	Sept. 4	12​	23​	40​
Lettuce	Sept. 4	2.5​	5​	6​
Sweet Peas	Sept. 4	1.8​	4​	3.9​
Red Cabbage	Sept. 7	2​	5.5​	7.5​
total ounces	​	124.2​	384.6​	363.7​

 

[redback]

My results indicate at least a 3 to 1 reduction in production from "No Dig". That does not work in my book...but perhaps it does in yours.

But "no-dig" has many different forms. Perhaps the most common nowadays is the raised bed.

 

[redback]

I'm not a 'no-dig' fan though.
I dig as much as I need to, particularly when planting potatoes. But even when I do add to the topsoil and plant into the introduced soil, I still use a trowel to dig a hole deeper than the topping and so does everyone else. So 'no-dig ' is a name and not much else.
The raised bed is a major exercise in building. Shifting soil is a necessity, both to flatten the site and to fill the beds.

 

[gary350]

I put baled hay in my garden once. That was the biggest mistake I ever made. Baled hay is baled weeds it contains billions of weed seeds, it too me 7 years to finally kill all those weeds.

 

[blenor]

I'm just learning about this 'no dig' gardening thing where you just compost and mulch on top of grass to start out a new bed. The guy in the video suggests using cardboard or carpet (cringe) over top of the new garden for several months to kill off the grass. I'm wondering how effective this is to actually kill off the grass? I keep imagining my new garden full of rogue grasses in between my veggies. Have you tried this no dig method? How has it worked out for you?

I have used a large heavyweight plastic sheet which was moved around the veg plot for a number of years to control weeds and stubborn grass. It has to be well weighted down with large pieces of old timber, pruned branches, bricks or an old pallet or it might end up in a neighbour's garden. If you use this be cautious when lifting it in Spring, as ants can make a nest. Red ants, although tiny, have a nasty bite. They did gain access to my garden boot once and my foot swelled up. I could only wear an old carpet slipper for several days.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I have used a large heavyweight plastic sheet which was moved around the veg plot for a number of years to control weeds and stubborn grass. It has to be well weighted down with large pieces of old timber, pruned branches, bricks or an old pallet or it might end up in a neighbour's garden. If you use this be cautious when lifting it in Spring, as ants can make a nest. Red ants, although tiny, have a nasty bite. They did gain access to my garden boot once and my foot swelled up. I could only wear an old carpet slipper for several days.

My neighbor permanently installed (pegged down really) a robust polymer weave the width of his walks between rows. Only the rows need weeding now. I could see a circular cloth around the base of plants where a weedeater can be used everywhere else.

 

[Charlie 001]

I'm just learning about this 'no dig' gardening thing where you just compost and mulch on top of grass to start out a new bed. The guy in the video suggests using cardboard or carpet (cringe) over top of the new garden for several months to kill off the grass. I'm wondering how effective this is to actually kill off the grass? I keep imagining my new garden full of rogue grasses in between my veggies. Have you tried this no dig method? How has it worked out for you?

No-dig gardening / RHS

Healthy plants depend on healthy soil. No-dig gardening cares for soil by cutting out the need for cultivation. So put away your spade, and gain the benefits of improved soil health that will allow all your plants to thrive. No-dig growing is often less work and can benefit the environment.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Charlie 001]

So my business model is organic gardening. Many of my gardens use the no dig methods to great success. There will always be weeds whatever style of gardening you do so some basic work will be required
It does not have to be complicated. Most weeds and lawn grasses will die off once covered deep enough ( assumming you don’t then dig them back up). However a bit of common sense is needed. Tough robust weeds and grasses - such as couches and brambles deep rooted weeds etc -can survive and come through so get rid off them first .

 

[oneeye]

So my business model is organic gardening. Many of my gardens use the no dig methods to great success. There will always be weeds whatever style of gardening you do so some basic work will be required
It does not have to be complicated. Most weeds and lawn grasses will die off once covered deep enough ( assumming you don’t then dig them back up). However a bit of common sense is needed. Tough robust weeds and grasses - such as couches and brambles deep rooted weeds etc -can survive and come through so get rid off them first .

Sounds very interesting Charlie. Post some photos of your work if you get a chance.

 

[Meadowlark]

So why does Charles Dowding in your referened video, @Charlie 001 , have a hoe in his hands seemingly hoeing his garden?

If you can tolerate a 3 to 1 reduction in production, go for it! I can't.

 

[Meadowlark]

... I can hand deliver a 2 meter rod into my garden soil.

Still waiting (six years now) for that demo.

 

[gary350]

If no till garden really works the people that take pictures of themself in the garden would not be holding a shover or rake. Throw shovel and rake in the trash you will never need it again.

OK get real my soil is hard as cement with lots of clay. If I do no till lots of organic stuff into my soil nothing will grow. I could stab a sharp stick into my hard soil and drop in a seed that will never grow much roots will be confined to a tiny space.

If I lay seeds on soil surface then cover with something garden will need a full time irrigation system to keep plants alive.

Maybe no till means, no gas engine tiller or tractor? Shovel, rake, hoe, is ok. Where is the definition of no till.?

 

[Meadowlark]

... Where is the definition of no till.?

@gary350 a painful review of this entire thread provides the definition I used in my experiment which showed 3 to 1 reduction in production using No Dig.

"A 1 inch layer of compost is applied to the soild every December - nothing more added." "Honestly, all you need to do is put an inch of compost onto your bed each year. " No fertilizer, no weeding"

@Susan BBPM

I challenge anyone to do the same experiment I did following the above definition of No Dig and post honest results.