[Classybird]

We'll after a disastrous:P first year where everything I planted could not compete with the weeds, (yes I did my best to remove them before I planted but they still came back), I have decided to change tactic, by starting everything off first and following 'The No Dig' technique.  A few people I have told have been dubious about this but I've got well in to the book and it seems to make perfect sense to me.  Just wondering what other peoples experiences are with this? 

[gobs]

I don't know. You might get more experienced answers in a non-gardening forum.

[Ice]

Have a look here.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=77658.0

[TheSpartacat]

I don't know. You might get more experienced answers in a non-gardening forum.

'No dig' is a gardening method gobs. 

I grew through plastic sheeting last year for some of my potatoes, squash, pumpkin and beans and it worked really well. Kept all the weeds down nicely and kept the moisture in...

[gobs]

I don't know. You might get more experienced answers in a non-gardening forum.

'No dig' is a gardening method gobs. 

I grew through plastic sheeting last year for some of my potatoes, squash, pumpkin and beans and it worked really well. Kept all the weeds down nicely and kept the moisture in...

Do not tell me, I have a whole book on it.

[MOLUSC]

My mate is doing it this year as he was very successful last year with this method,the only problem he had was with slugs (using pellets this year) and mice having a nibble at his spuds!!!!

[Trillium]

I've started doing it and it works well. You do still need to loosen the soil, usually by a broad fork or U bar as they're sometimes called. It loosens the soil but it isn't turned over. Everything needs air, even uncultivated soil.

There are quite a few videos on Youtube about no dig gardening so you might want to check some of those out. There are also a few great French ones on no dig gardening: Jardinage sans travail du sol. My favourite is Ma Passion? Eco Jardiner.

[compostqueen]

I don't dig. I don't rotovate either. I still grow lots of veg though.  Folks dig cos they want to 

[CDave]

Well I'm into year 2 with my lottie and follow no dig principles. Have access to loads of maure and make my own compost for the tops of my beds. However - I've just bought my seed potato's. And had a thought. I can plant them easily enough - dibber = hole without diggiging - but, how on earth do I get em out without digging?   

[Thrift]

I know someone locally who has tons of compost from her anaerobic digester. For several years now she has simply spread a big layer of compost and planted into that, so no digging at all.

[lacewing]

You still get weeds even with the no dig method. I find a good sharp hoe is the answer.
Wolf do a good slection with interchange handle, not cheap but well worth the money.

[gobs]

Well I'm into year 2 with my lottie and follow no dig principles. Have access to loads of maure and make my own compost for the tops of my beds. However - I've just bought my seed potato's. And had a thought. I can plant them easily enough - dibber = hole without diggiging - but, how on earth do I get em out without digging?   

  That's the thing! As Trill and others say above, it cannot be applied in such a strict sense. No turning more like.

Anyway, it's mostly a choice of convenience and practicality of what siuts you. The good crops will come from the above mentioned mulching and feeding, not from whether you digged or not.

[sunshineband]

My personal view is that it makes sense to dig out perennial weeds before you start, as otherwise they constantly appear through your compost layer.

And regular hoeing or hand weeding is vital, as with any growing method

[Trillium]

Glad you caught that, Gobs. No dig does not necessarily mean do not aerate. With the broadforks commonly used for this type of gardening, you insert the giant fork prongs to gently loosen the earth but you never flip it over. Its important to keep the soil structure levels intact. By aerating the soil this way, more air is available to worms and plant roots can dive down more easily and reach nutrients. And, water can quickly reach deeper levels.

And since the UK has far more rain than I do, mulching isn't always a good option for you to keep away slugs. I must mulch to keep in what little rain I do get, and I still get some weeds popping through, but not early what I'd get without mulch.  I also found that a good hoeing before applying mulch broke the soil crust and plants could better access water after the mulch went down. Or not.

I recommend you check out the videos I posted earlier in this thread.

[Salmo]

No dig method is not the short cut that many think it is.

From what I can see no dig takes a higher level of management than good old dig and bury.

When it is done well results are very good. Fail to pay attention to detail or put the time in and failure awaits.