Can I 'No dig' this?

[Purple Pea]

Hello! New to the forum, I’ve just recently discovered the wonderful Charles and the ‘no dig’ method. I have a very basic question. My very small garden is on the side of a hill facing the sea in west Wales. It is quite a sloping site, on which I have gradually created small terraces. The last and highest, at the back of the garden and up against a retaining wall is currently used as a hard-standing area, has some pots on it and a very narrow raised bed. Underfoot is very compacted sandy soil mixed with stone, small rocks and general detritus that has come from above. Can I ‘No dig’ onto this? If I remove the small raised bed it would give me another area of open ground maybe about 4/5 ft by about 10. I have very little open soil available for vegetables, and this would be a great addition if it would work. My main concern is how rocky/sandy this area is. Grateful for any advice.

[charles]

Yes you can grow on that base, plants will send some roots into it, however vegetables need rich soil so you need a good 6in/15cm compost on top.
Worth buying that to utilise all your space.

[Purple Pea]

Many thanks, Charles. There are potatoes in the tiny raised bed at the moment, I have access to free horse manure mixed with straw, I think I will stockpile that and rot it down. It’s an area that is in deep shade part of the day, then full sun (when there is any!) So I hope the no dig method will help keep the moisture in. The garden is not accessible from the house, and is up steep stone steps, above the houses, so everything the the garden has to be carted up, but the view does make it worth it!

[Author]

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