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Well I have two plots and one is heavy clay and every year it is a real struggle to get it to dry out enough to work on so I decided to start testing the no dig.
Not sure if I went about it right but on my other plot which is not so bad I decided to start a bed because it was close to my compost pile just to experiment with. I put down a layer of cardboard then covered in a few inches of compost.
This was when I first started and I have since finished and made it the full width of my plot.
It looked so nice I could not resist popped in a row of onion sets. Obviously until the cardboard weakens I can’t grow any thing deep root so thought onions,beetroot and lettuce would do to start. One thing that has occurred is due to the shallow depth of compost it is going to dry out very quickly. So plan to add more compost as soon as I can.
Next on the list back on the clay plot I have an old strawberry bed covered that succumbed to couchgrass. It has been covered a few months. So I intend to pull back the cover soon apply manure recover. Then plant squash through it and hopefully by the time they are done. Every thing underneath should be dead and I can then use no dig
I am really looking forward to seeing how it works and now getting compost heaps going( I use 1 ton builders bags) and collecting manure is a priority
Hello Terry, this all sounds promising. Great to hear your excitement: no dig is fun, and also it won’t be long before that cardboard softens and allows your roots through.
Well this is the manure I have access too
very wet stuff. Apparently once i dig down about 5 feet the stuff is 10 years old. But from the point of view of spreading it and planting directly into it I am not too sure how that will go due to the texture of it
Terry this manure is best moved/aerated to compost some more. You could spread it where planting squash and courgette, but not for salads etc.
Well bed no 1 done and ready
bed no 2 that is riddled with weeds and couch grass. Uncovered and manured and covered backup ready for the squashes
quite getting into it now and its making me sort my compost out better
Well the cabbage are quite happy on the no dog bed
I just watched your youtube pest video Charles. Could you tell me what the powder in the jar is please
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