Starting No Dig from Scratch

[bluetempest2Member]

Hi Charles, I am starting to spread the word around in my workplace as a self employed gardener to clients who have no concept of the No Dig solution to growing plants ,especially the food variety. Any way one client I cut his hedge would like to start the No Dig to his small raised bed which he has kindly kept turning over for the last year but is surprised that the weeds still keep coming back!! I explained that to keep digging will keep bringing the weed seeds nearer the surface plus he is distanilising the structure of the soil by doing so. He then asked if putting Round Upon it would solve the problem, which I replied ” It will solve the weed problem but maya also cause more problems with other living things which live in the soil ” . .maybe a little strong but that’s my feeling of chemicals .

So to convert my client I am proposing the following to try No Dig and utilise composting his garden waste in a recyclable manner.
His plot is 15 ft by 20 ft with approx 200mm of soil with weeds and I was going to dig out the perennial -groundsel, thistle,dock and try to pull some of the new shooted bindweed then place the newly trimmed hedge clippings which is Hazel,blackthorne,lime,dogwood,some ivy, blackberry and some type of vine onto the area and then put my rotary mower over the lot to shred down to a finer size. On top of this he has some leaf mulch and some grass clippings on this also- the covering will be approx 150 mm deep -and I now need your advice on wether to top off with some well rotted manure( or does it require this?) and leave until next february before planting anything.
Is this a reasonable stab at getting his allotment off to No Dig way of life ?

Regards
Mick

[charlesModerator]

 Difficult to say Mick, there is no blueprint for all situations as everybody’s soil, climate and resources are different. I am uneasy that you are "sheet composting" with a lot of green mulch which may not have finished decomposing by next spring; or it may, if really well chopped by the mower!
I would definitely add a good couple of inches reasonably well decomposed manure or compost on top. Also I would aim to use plants next April rather than sow direct in February, except for broad beans (groundsel is annual by the way).

[bluetempest2Member]

Thanks Charles, I will give the added compost on top and and delay planting till April , as it is hard to say if the greens will have decomposed enough .
Regards
Mick

[shepsterMember]

Hi
I am a newbie to the no dig method and want to create a new bed soon. If i create a new bed with a mixture of top soils and soil improver from my local authority could I plant garlic straight away or should I leave it a while. It would be on rough ground that has not been cultivate for quite a while though it has had chickens on. Lots of couch grass, bind weed and goose willow trying to grow!

[charlesModerator]

 Well Shepster I think your willow may grow through, if not the weeds – can you cut through any of the main roots and remove the stumps? Otherwise it sounds a good plan and I would plant garlic now if there is enough new matter to smother couch grass, say six inches, and not too much soil as opposed to compost. Good luck.

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