Before I mess up I need advice

[AngelaM]

There’s lots of great advice about no-dig here, but I have a specific couple of questions I need help with please.

I have taken on the challenge of an allotment planning to approach it as a no dig. It’s full of horse tail, bind weed and cooch grass, lots of brambles and Ragwort etc. First we hired a brush cutter and strimmed it right back, then we covered it in card, then black waterproof plastic.

I am ordering in some well rotted manure this weekend, and we will place it under the plastic but on top of the cardboard where we’ll be building our first few beds, to allow it time to rot down over the winter. So far so good I think, but please let me know if I’m going wrong.

First question: We have 200+ 45cm concrete slabs which I have been collecting. My intention is that these will form the main path through the centre, and will go between the beds. I had intended to put membrane 1m wide weed membrane underneath the paths but am not sure if I should do that. I’m worried that the horse tail etc, on not being able to go up through the stones, will move sideways into the raised beds. Has anybody got slabs down and can they advise?

My second question is, how deep will my raised beds have to be bearing, in mind what lurks beneath. The project would be so much more affordable if I could build the beds just one plank deep and add compost to the already rotted down manure in the spring.

Many thanks in advance.

[charles]

Hi Angela
Do please read this thoroughly, it’s from the banner No Dig Growing
So you dig the main bramble root out.
Horsetail will push through however much mulch you use, just keep pulling the new and weaker growth.
Paths must be thoroughly mulched.
No dig is not a magic bullet but when you are diligent in year one, things get far easier after that.
Long term you save hours, with better crops.

[Author]

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