To dig or not to dig?

There's a philosophy, originating from the book One Straw Revolution, I believe, of not disturbing the soil layers. So they prefer to smother weeds and such with layers of things like straw. Newer practitioners use cardboard and plastic.
Unless you have access to lots of smothering material, and lots of time to wait for them to work (up to a year, sometimes more), then digging is a quicker method to get crops in. True, it does spread the top soil level all over the place, but you're also adding compost, manure, etc to bring back the soil's tilth. And you're not digging beyond 2 ft down, so its not a drastic disruption really.
Some say worms get killed with digging and rotovating, but they can be killed also by simply digging with a hand trowel to insert a plant (though not to the same extent).
It's all personal philosophy and preference. Some actually find digging very soothing and enjoyable. Others rotovate for speed or inability to dig.

Ok. Thanks for the replies. I think I will most likely do the digging thing for now

I use a deep bed, no dig system...and so far I can't fault it, I find because I'm top dressing with my own homemade compost that I've very few weeds to deal with, and its a dream to work with, slugs are a problem though.

I put the spuds in tyres as that is the simplest way for me, a few pics I've been saving    ...




Further sowings of Cabbage, Lettuce, etc





Some recent plants...




This is the beans...




Slug trap needing changed...






Onions, beetroot etc...





Potatoes in tyres...


Cheers

 

I've tried the tyres in the past and thought them a failure, the secret is in using low profile tyres, I try and stick with 18'' er's

I didn't have enough gathered up, as I wanted to put two together for the spuds, maybe next year!

I think I'll sow my peas in them next year. They're quick and easy to throw together.

I use a mix of DIY compost and well rotted FYM with a dressing of bonemeal, and everything gets a DIY feed once / twice / week

Cheers

 

I would have thought the cardboard would have worked! Have you tried the plastic that is used for making paths etc? it lets the rain through.

This year has been my worst for carrots and parsnips, I've sowed them three times   :x

Cheers

 

you can use manure as a mulch too.  It keeps the soil moist underneath and protects it from the elements. Worms take it down but if there's some left you can fork it in, little handfork I'm thinking not a gert big job, or you can chuck the manure off and use it somewhere else come spring

yeah Spud I think I would have been better off with the sheet mulch under the bed as the moles are a real pain and anything which might thwart them gets my vote

I love raised beds, and the Link a Bord ones I like very much cos I can put them up myself without tools, well maybe a hammer to knock the pegs in.   On our group lotty we have waist high raised beds and they're very good for working on. No back problems at all with those. Filling them in the first instance was the biggest job