New Backyard City Garden – No Dig

[LeeParticipant]

So this year I turned a large portion of my backyard into a vegetable garden using Charles’ methods, and it has worked really well- I have about 300 square feet of growing space (about 1/145th of an acre) that used to be lawn.
I mulched last fall with cardboard and compost.
Added a fair bit more compost this spring, and started most crops as transplants under lights.

I’m in Ottawa Canada, and although we normally get short, hot humid summers here, this year has been exceptionally hot, average highs in the low 30’s celsius, and extremely humid. This has been great for heat loving crops.

For lettuces, I have been growing them in raised planters and covered with shade cloth, using Charles picking method this has worked well to keep it going in the heat.

For Tomatoes and cucumbers I built an 8ft high arbor trellis, and hung electrical wires which I twisted into spiral shape.
I made 2 rows 3ft apart so I can walk between to prune them single-stem.
This worked well, cucumbers already at the 8ft mark and I have been getting 6 cucumbers per day off 6 plants.

I did a little weeding and hoeing in the spring, but now almost nothing for weeds.

I’m really happy with this no dig method, we are getting a huge amount of produce from a small plot right in the city. I really didn’t know I would be able to grow this much when I started. Now I’m trying to learn how to can produce!

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[charlesModerator]

Lee, thanks so much for sharing your experience and the lovely photos.
What wonderful results, and I hope that canning goes well!

[SandraParticipant]

Lee, your garden is a picture, I love it, much better than a lawn in my opinion!

[HazelkyParticipant]

How wonderful is that?! What a beautiful and bountiful space. Well done you.

[StuParticipant]

Hi Lee. I am a 4 season gardener near you (Metcalfe, ON). I was wondering if we could connect via email? It would be fun to share some knowledge with each other, given the challenging conditions. I have been doing a combination of SFG, Coleman, Fournier and Jabbour gardening for some time. Next summer, I plan on modifying some of the garden to Mr. Dowding’s no Dig method and restart our fruit tree orchard with Stephan Slowboviak’s permaculture orcharding. I also do canning (pressure canning as well as steam/water bath canning etc.). If you agree, please reply here. Best regards, Stu.

[allotmentdaveParticipant]

Well done Lee you have done a lovely job there.
Excellent photo’s may you have many more prosperous years ahead.
Charles no dig way is definately the best way to garden I know as I have had an allotment for 8 years, I have had much
better results growing at home in raised beds using home made compost and leaf mould on the top.

[LeeParticipant]

Hey Stu, that’s a great idea- sorry for my late reply, I have not been on the forum for a while.

I started some Winterbor kale, Brussels, and carrots around end of July.
Just finished harvesting the last carrots and Brussels yesterday in the snow, just amazing how much sugar builds up in the vegetables in response to the cold. Everything is extra sweet, even the Brussel Sprout leaves.
Carrots have amazing flavor after frosts- I will never grow summer carrots again!

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[JDParticipant]

Wow!
Still so beautiful. You should be very proud.
Jan

[ChristineParticipant]

What a fabulous plot. That is an amazing result and so neat and tidy you really put me to shame! I agree with Sandra that a well loved veggie plot looks way more interesting than flowers or lawn. Had you had much experience of gardening before Lee?

[LeeParticipant]

This is my second year with a garden. Its very small so I can afford to put more time into appearances, but I do wish I had more space sometimes, I have to be very selective about what I grow.

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