Starting no dig plot, clay, chicken manure

[MillyParticipant]

I have a tiny plot 2m x 10m with a clay-ey soil in south of France.

I have grown tomatoes there for several summers but year after year the harvest is poorer and poorer. It has a weeds, wild sorrel mostly. In summer the plot gets hard as concrete.

I can get compost locally and want to build up a no dig plot but have never done it before and am getting a bit confused! I have about 150kg of chicken manure (organic hens) which is fresh. I thought of putting down this manure to help break up the clay, followed by 20cm of compost and 5cm of finely shredded birch… does this make sense?

I’m not quite sure what I’ll plant but it’ll be veg: perrenial rocket, artichokes, and one or two tomato plants are an idea….

[charlesModerator]

Hi Milly, I would stack your manure to make compost, or add to existing compost heap. If used in a bed it will leach nutrients and not be so nice for plant roots.
Use compost, then worms arrive to eat it and that starts to open the clay. And you can sow/plant into it.
Not sure why you want the wood shredding on top but it’s your choice. Compost of itself is a brilliant mulch.

[MillyParticipant]

Hi Charles, thanks for such a speedy reply!

ok I’ll add the chicken manure to my compost heap.

So if I understand rightly I just put down compost – no other manure necessary?

As for the BRF, I got given it and thought it would be good for mulching too… Thought more the better! Like I say I’m a novice who’s discovering no dig at the moment…

thanks ever so much for taking the time to get back to me, it’s much appreciated : )

[S. ShawParticipant]

I am really enjoying all your videos. They are so informative and your delivery is relaxed and interesting. My question is, when setting up a no dig bed what is the first layer going to be and at what stage does the cardboard go down. In fact, is there a right and wrong way to layer? Thank you

[charlesModerator]

S. Shaw see this link for many examples of filling beds, over soil that is full of weeds.

March 2013

For most fillings of new beds I do not use cardboard.
I use cardboard mostly on paths, in the first year, to kill weeds. And not after that.
And a lot depends what materials you have available. There is no precise formula. Just keep your finest compost for the surface layer, to sow and plant into.

[charlesModerator]

Milly re your Q. above – old manure is compost, yes it’s good to spread some of that as well as compost from garden wastes

[MillyParticipant]

Thanks Charles, I’ll put down some well composted horse manure first and then my garden compost. Thanks again!

[Author]

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