To dig or not to dig that is the question

Hi everyone what’s everyone’s opinion on on digging verses no dig I’ve tryed both had good results and don’t mind digging Carnt help thinking the digging and adding compost make it easier for the roots 

I enjoy it as-well funny you should say about the mares tail when I did no dig I got some mares tail not loads but a patch went to town on it and it seems to have gone wonder if drys the soil too  much and that causes it

Part of the answer lies in the soil. Some soil responds to the no dig if you can get it in condition. Untreated clay that hasn't been composted is a different matter.

I'm coming to the point on the plot I've had for nearly 14 years end of February is the end date - where I can look at whether to dig or not. This year is going to be a digging year.

I’m a converted no digger,in my 3rd year & absolutely love it, I enjoy making compost & make about 5 cubic meters or so a year, I have access to well rotted manure that I have to go & fetch. The mares tail is getting less & less as are the weeds. I get enough digging with turning the 5 compost bins & barrowing it out round the plot. Also it’s as if the plants have got rocket fuel under them. It also makes perfect sense to me that the fungi & microbial life underground needs leaving as undisturbed as possible. I’ve even converted hubby who used to wield the rotovator that was his dads .

Part of the answer lies in the soil. Some soil responds to the no dig if you can get it in condition. Untreated clay that hasn't been composted is a different matter.

I'd agree with that.

No dig does make a difference to even heavy clay that has not been worked, but it does take a long time (speaks from experience here having tried some of Bob Flowerdew's ideas in the past).  I do some no-dig areas now my soil is in better heart, but I also use trench composting which is a very old method from years gone by and traditional digging.

It depends on the gardener as well.  We have a couple of plots trying it on our site, but the terrain makes it a hard slog.  Both are at the top of the hill and have narrow access paths.  Having watched a plot neighbour barrow up goodness now how much mulch material this spring, it looked a lot less bovver to get the spade out    Neither plot has produced that much this year.  At least not compared to the rest of us. 

No dig does not mean no work, but it does attract those who see it as a shortcut, so they are often disappointed.  If you do it properly it grows stuff for you.  I have said this before, but the main reason I only use no dig for some areas is not being able to make enough compost in situ and the obstacles to getting bought in material to where I need it.  Charles Dowding buys in material by the lorry load and has it delivered to his gardens, so grows in deep mulches of organic material,  TBH you would have to try really hard to fail on that system   

I only do significant digging to get perennial weeds out, particularly along the edge of my plot where they invade from the grass path which separates plots (I'm going to see if digging a shallow trench along the boundary helps). I've sown a green manure on some beds, the mild autumn meant the mustard grew and started flowering quickly so I cut it down. I have been collecting horse manure and spreading it on beds which don't have crops. It does seem to be working over the last few years. Despite not doing a major autumn/winter dig, and being on heavy clay, my soil has improved, it is less heavy and claggy and it is easier to get a fork in if I need to evict a dandelion or creeping buttercup. This autumn has been wet and dull so the soil is wet and the lack of sun means it isn't drying any time soon, so I think I'm best leaving it alone over winter, apart from continuing to spread horse manure. I'm lucky not to be infested with mares tail, the primary nuisance persistent weeds I have are bindweed, creeping buttercup, couch grass and dandelions.