Sometimes people say that no dig is expensive because you may buy well rotted compost to spread on the beds every year, as realistically many people can’t produce enough well rotted compost/manure every year to meet their needs and so have to buy some of it in.
I think there can be a misunderstanding about how much compost is used each year after the initial big mulch on weedy soil. I spread about an inch or so on my beds at the allotment, which provides food all year round. I also use my own homemade compost, of course.
There are many ‘diggers’ at my allotment, all of whom buy well rotted manure every year for their plots (we live in an area surrounded by dairy farms and there are also a lot of stables, so manure is quite cheap and plentiful). One allotment holder, who grows in wooden sided beds, has added a good 4 inches or so to each bed, much more than I’d use. The big difference of course is that after spreading it all over his beds he will then spend more time double digging it all in this winter, whereas I will spread mine and that will be it for the year.
So in my experience, no dig isn’t more expensive year-to-year in compost as we all, diggers and no diggers, at my allotments use about the same.
Obviously I am not comparing with people who use horrible chemical fertilisers as they are ghastly and should be avoided!
No dig is a lot cheaper if you value your time! I’m a single working mum so don’t have much spare money or time 🙂
You save time by not digging all of the compost in. Spread it across the beds and you are done.
You save time because you have far fewer weeds to deal with, both annual and perennial. No dig beds are so easy to hoe, I can do the whole allotment in high season in less than 15 minutes.
You save time harvesting roots as they tend to come out a lot cleaner (ok, that takes just a few minutes but it feels a long time when you are washing parsnips in a bucket on a cold day!)
You save time after cropping because you can simply remove the previous crops and replant with the next veggies, without having faff about.
You save time planting as with a clear bed you can see exactly where everything needs to go and crack on with it. It also makes planting easier in the driving rain, as I was doing yesterday – the weather was horrible but at least I could get the job done , even though the soil here is very heavy clay: because my allotment is no dig it doesn’t stick to my boots or get churned up. I could walk on the beds as well as the paths.
You save time watering, as undug mulched soil conserves water much better.
I’m sure there are many other “You saves..” I haven’t mentioned!
That’s lots of time to do other things, whether paid work or recreational activities or sitting at the allotment for a few minutes enjoying your lovely growing. Not to mention the money saved by being able to grow a lot of healthy abundant veg, all year round, so simply and effectively.