This topic contains 7 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by Don Foley 8 years, 6 months ago.
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Hi Charles
I thought I would share my experiences so far with a very weedy plot that I took over at the beginning o August, trying to apply your ideas about light exclusion and getting the soil working. I would appreciate your further guidance.
The first photo shows that most of the 5 foot grasses were cut back roughly with garden shears and old soft fruit foots dug out. the area was then immediately covered with mypex type fabric
The next photo is from a few days ago. Most of the top growth has died back but I am sure there are lots of potentially active roots below. Each of the 1.2 x 6.5 metre beds has been covered with 4 barrow loads of 18 month old FYM, quite lumpy but 25-50cm deep. The mypex has then been replaced and will stay on for some time yet, perhaps planting in holes in the mypex in May.
The third photo shows some of the area where I didn’t cut the grass/weeds but just squashed it under old polythene sheets. The ‘after’ photo shows that most of this has turned to straw but still with some lively roots. This area will eventually get the muck and recover treatment.
The total cost for the trailer load of FYM delivered to my plot was £25 so approx. £4.00 per bed. The mypex is £1.00 per running metre by 2metre wide, so approx. £7.00 per bed. The mypex should last for years and will be reusable elsewhere.
I reckon that using your methods, 6-8 strips is plenty of space to supply us, a couple, with veg. I am fortunate that this is my second plot so I am in no rush.
This looks promising , nice job.
Its hard to say exactly what weed roots may have survived, I am guessing you started in July or early August? They have been trying to grow in darkness for say 4 months, and using up their energy.
Most look dead from the bottom photo. Yes some weak couch grass is still there, much weaker than before. To have composted and recover over winter is excellent.
If you look under the mypex in March and see no white shoots of couch, you could grow without it. Or plant through and pull any couch you see regrowing through the planting holes. Same for other weeds like bindweed.Thanks too for sharing the costs. It looks reasonable to me for the time saved (ongoing) and potential increase in output. Yes mypex is pricey but is usable for 10-15 years from reports I hear.
Hi John,
I use “damp proof course” plastic sheeting size 1200 which builders use in house construction. This is black and heavy duty.
It is very cheep, certainly way cheaper than Mypex, and very very effective at excluding light.
I cover the ground with well rotted Compost and then cover with the DPC and leave this on for 6 months, usually Autumn and Winter. In Spring I’m left with completely clean ground covered in fine crumbly Compost into which I can immediately start planting.
It’s not exactly Charles’s method but it works well for me.
I should stress this is the approach I use for new ground, for established areas I just add 1 to 2″ of well rotted Compost after harvesting a crop.Don.
Sometimes people say that no dig is expensive because you may buy well rotted compost to spread on the beds every year, as realistically many people can’t produce enough well rotted compost/manure every year to meet their needs and so have to buy some of it in.
I think there can be a misunderstanding about how much compost is used each year after the initial big mulch on weedy soil. I spread about an inch or so on my beds at the allotment, which provides food all year round. I also use my own homemade compost, of course.
There are many ‘diggers’ at my allotment, all of whom buy well rotted manure every year for their plots (we live in an area surrounded by dairy farms and there are also a lot of stables, so manure is quite cheap and plentiful). One allotment holder, who grows in wooden sided beds, has added a good 4 inches or so to each bed, much more than I’d use. The big difference of course is that after spreading it all over his beds he will then spend more time double digging it all in this winter, whereas I will spread mine and that will be it for the year.
So in my experience, no dig isn’t more expensive year-to-year in compost as we all, diggers and no diggers, at my allotments use about the same.
Obviously I am not comparing with people who use horrible chemical fertilisers as they are ghastly and should be avoided!
No dig is a lot cheaper if you value your time! I’m a single working mum so don’t have much spare money or time 🙂
You save time by not digging all of the compost in. Spread it across the beds and you are done.
You save time because you have far fewer weeds to deal with, both annual and perennial. No dig beds are so easy to hoe, I can do the whole allotment in high season in less than 15 minutes.
You save time harvesting roots as they tend to come out a lot cleaner (ok, that takes just a few minutes but it feels a long time when you are washing parsnips in a bucket on a cold day!)
You save time after cropping because you can simply remove the previous crops and replant with the next veggies, without having faff about.
You save time planting as with a clear bed you can see exactly where everything needs to go and crack on with it. It also makes planting easier in the driving rain, as I was doing yesterday – the weather was horrible but at least I could get the job done , even though the soil here is very heavy clay: because my allotment is no dig it doesn’t stick to my boots or get churned up. I could walk on the beds as well as the paths.
You save time watering, as undug mulched soil conserves water much better.
I’m sure there are many other “You saves..” I haven’t mentioned!
That’s lots of time to do other things, whether paid work or recreational activities or sitting at the allotment for a few minutes enjoying your lovely growing. Not to mention the money saved by being able to grow a lot of healthy abundant veg, all year round, so simply and effectively.
Don – where do you buy the DPC sheeting?, and does anyone know how long it would take for it to clear a mares tail-infested allotment? (not mine, I’m glad to say!)
Thanks, CP
I would add to Steph’s extensive list that this growing method also has a ‘delayed benefit’ element to it, where the initial expense/ effort/ time is paid back many fold, as the ensuing months and years pass by. In other words, once the first big effort is made, growing keeps improving and for a minimum of subsequent work. I have experienced this during only the last three years on my plot.
Horsetail compostpope? Mine was well established but is now controllable after two years of light exclusion.
Some good discussions happening at present!
Hi Compostpope,
You will get Damp Proof Course in any Builders Providers.
It comes in rolls of various thicknesses.
I use 1200 grade.
Don.
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