WHAT IS THE NO-DIG METHOD OF GARDENING?
The no-dig gardening method is an easy way to create and maintain your beds, without having to manually turn or till the soil.
The main idea of this technique is to not disturb the soil too much because it can damage the structure, expose weed seeds, and kill helpful organisms.
This method is often called “sheet mulching,” “layered gardening,” or the ever-popular “lasagna gardening.”
The no-till method basically means that you don’t have to dig or till.
This technique can be used to create a new garden area or improve an existing one.
HOW DOES NO DIG GARDENING WORK?
Gardening without digging is all about taking care of the soil. The idea is to build it up, instead of breaking it down with a tiller or shovel.
Mulching is a method of gardening where you cover the ground with a thick layer of organic matter instead of digging or tilling it. Common organic matter used for mulching include compost, well-rotted manure, peat moss, leaf mulch, worm castings, or leaf mold.
Worms and other organisms will tunnel underground and eat the organic matter, leaving their beneficial waste behind.
As they travel through the soil, they help to aerate it and improve drainage. They also add rich nutrients that help plants grow.
WHY USE THE NO DIG METHOD?
They couldn’t be more wrong. Many new gardeners think that the ground is just plain dirt and that all types of dirt are the same, but they couldn’t be more wrong.
The opposite is true! Healthy soil is full of life and has billions of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects.
These microbes cooperate with each other to create an environment where plants can grow well.
When they are left to work on their own, they are able to improve the structure, health, and fertility of the soil.
When you dig or till the ground, you upset the fragile balance of the ecosystem and harm the creatures that live in the soil. This can lead to a breakdown of the soil structure and the death of beneficial organisms.
If the soil structure is damaged, it can cause compaction and sterilization. This can also lead to poor drainage, which in turn causes more runoff and erosion.
The thick layers of organic matter that pile up on a forest floor is an example of this concept.
The organic matter on top of the soil protects it from being disturbed by tilling or digging, and underneath that you will find rich, fertile soil.
BENEFITS OF NO-DIG GARDENING
There are many benefits to using the no-dig gardening method, including the fact that it is great for your soil and the tiny critters that live in it. This method is also better for you and your plants!
EASIER TO BUILD & MAINTAIN
A garden that doesn’t require digging is much easier to create and maintain than a garden that does because you don’t have to do any digging!
This is good news for people who don’t want to work hard or can’t do much physical labor.
HEALTHIER PLANTS
It is better for your back to have a no-dig garden, and it is also good for your soil and plants. when you have a no-dig garden, you are working with nature to improve the soil texture and fertility, rather than against it.
Healthier soil leads to healthier plants. These gardens have fewer problems with pests and diseases, so plants can thrive. This results in an increase in both the yield and quality of your produce.
FEWER WEEDS
If you till the soil, it can cause dormant weed seeds to come to the surface and start growing.
Weed seeds stay dormant when the soil is disturbed as little as possible.
Moreover, the few weeds that do appear will have shallow surface roots, making them easy to pluck out.
IMPROVES POOR-QUALITY SOILS
This method of improving soils is much simpler and does not require all the work and expense of adding amendments.
Instead of using a machine to mix the organic material into the soil, you pile it on top and let the worms and other microbes do it.
LESS NEED FOR FERTILIZER
Since organic mulches break down and naturally feed the soil and plants, there is less of a need for fertilizer.
If you give the beneficial organisms a quick food source, they will make the soil healthy and fertile so your plants can grow well.
NO DIG GARDENING SAVES YOU TIME
Since you don’t have to dig out all of the weeds, you can save a lot of time by creating a no-dig garden. You can plant immediately, without having to wait, on top of the grass and weeds.
You’ll have more time to enjoy your summer as you won’t have to spend as much time on tasks such as watering your plants, weeding, and dealing with pests and diseases.
LESS WATERING
The thick layers of organic matter and mulch help the soil to retain moisture much longer than in a traditional plot by preventing evaporation.
Gardens that don’t require digging also tend to drain better and have fewer problems with runoff and erosion.
The soil is able to absorb water faster because it is well-aerated.
NO SOIL COMPACTION
When the ground is cultivated using traditional methods, it increases soil compaction. This is because it destroys the structure, the microbes, and the tunnels they create.
When the soil gets wet, it becomes compacted. This makes it difficult for plants to grow because their roots have a difficult time becoming established.
THE TECHNIQUE OF NO-DIG GARDENING EXPLAINED
In 1977, Australian gardener and author Esther Dean pioneered a technique commonly referred to as “no dig gardening.” This technique has been used countless times since Dean published her book “No-Dig Gardening and Leaves of Life.” No-dig gardening has been shown to be an immensely productive way to grow all manner of trees and plants. In the US, no-dig gardening is often referred to as lasagna gardening.
There are several ways to build a “no-dig” garden, but they all use the same underlying principle of creating healthy soil. No-dig gardens can be built over any type of surface, including soil, existing lawn, or concrete. This technique creates a rich, dark, healthy, nutrient-filled environment that plants love.
No-dig gardening is a gardening technique where layers of organic materials like pea straw, animal manure, chopped prunings, compost, etc. are laid down flat to create a thick composting system. To plant seedlings or plants, small holes are made in the compost and filled with more compost. This technique is simple and results in a healthy garden.
HOW TO BUILD A NO-DIG GARDEN IN TEN EASY STEPS
To build a no-dig garden, you don’t need to do much. I teach classes on no-dig gardening, and even people who have never done it before can build a no-dig garden that is 1m x 4m in only 30 minutes.
There are two main construction methods for building a no-dig garden:
- No dig gardens built on concrete, paved areas, or rocky ground.
- No dig gardens built on existing garden beds or lawns.
You need just one extra layer when building on hard or rocky surfaces.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for building a no-dig garden:
Step 1 – Select and Mark Location
- Select a suitable location to construct a no-dig garden bed. Ideally, it should be on a fairly level surface, and it should receive 5 hours or more of sunlight each day. You can build the no-dig garden over any surface, over existing soil, lawn, concrete or paved surfaces – the first step of the construction will vary depending on the surface.
- Either mark out where the no-dig garden bed will be, and build it without ‘sides ‘ or edging, or construct a raised bed.
Step 2 – Gather Materials
You will need the following materials:
- Newspapers or cardboard
- Animal manure or organic fertilizer
- Straw bales or lucerne (alfalfa hay) bales or both
- Compost
Optional materials:
- Kitchen scraps, worm castings, rock dust
If building on hard or rocky ground, you’ll also need:
- dry small sticks and branches, old dry leaves
- dry seaweed (optional)
You will also need the following items:
- If using cardboard – A bucket of water for soaking the cardboard
- Watering can or hose for watering
Step 3 – Preparing the Ground
- If building over an existing garden bed or soil, no additional preparation is required.
- If building over concrete, paving, rocky ground, or other hard surfaces, first lay down a layer of small sticks and branches, twigs, and old dry leaves 7-10cm (3”-4”) thick.
This layer assists with drainage so that water does not accumulate on the hard surface and create waterlogged soil. You can also add dried seaweed (if you can obtain it) to this layer.
- If building over lawn or grass, you can mow the grass very low first, or just leave it. Next, fertilize it with plenty of nitrogen-rich fertilizer (such as blood & bone or manure) and lime, then water it in. The fertilizer will help the grass rot down once it is covered up and buried under all the layers that will go on top of it.
Step 4 – Lay down Newspaper
- Lay down sheets of newspaper in layers approximately 0.5cm thick (approx. 1/4” thick), and overlap the edges by 10-15cm to prevent grass or weeds from growing through.
- Using a watering can or hose, water the newspaper well.
The newspaper layer will help retain moisture and prevent weed growth. It will gradually decompose over time.
You need to pre-soak cardboard in water before using it, which can be difficult. Cardboard also contains borax glue, so it is not the best option.
If newspapers are available, use them instead of glossy printed paper or office paper. Glossy paper and office paper contain toxic inks and bleaches, which you don’t want in your food.
Step 5 – Lay down Lucerne
- Lay down a layer of lucerne approximately 10cm (4”) thick over the newspaper.
- Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
You can use any other carbon-containing material such as pea straw, hay, sugar cane mulch, etc., but lucerne is preferable because it has a higher nitrogen content than the other straw materials and breaks down more easily. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) for lucerne (alfalfa hay) is 18:1, while the straw is 80:1.
Step 6 – Lay down Manure & Compost
Add a thin layer of manure and compost to create a layer 5cm (2”) thick.
Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
To add other ingredients to your no-dig garden, such as kitchen scraps, worm castings, or rock dust, use a thin layer in this lower layer only, to keep it well buried and prevent vermin such as rats and mice from digging it up to get to it. The worm castings and rock dust can also be used in the upcoming higher layers.
Step 7 – Lay down Straw
- Lay down a layer of straw approximately 10cm (4”) thick over the layer of manure or manure/compost.
- Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
You can use any carbon-containing material here, such as: peas straw, hay, sugar cane mulch, etc.
Step 8 – Lay down Manure & Compost
- Sprinkle a thin layer of manure. You can also add compost to create a layer 5cm (2”) thick.
- Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
You can also add other ingredients, such as worm castings or rock dust, to the no-dig garden.
Step 9 – Lay down Straw
- Lay down another layer of straw approximately 10cm (4”) thick over the layer of manure or manure/compost.
- Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
Any carbon-containing material such as straw from peas, hay, or sugar cane mulch can be used here.
Use a garden fork to make pockets in the top layer of compost, taking care not to damage the underlying membrane. Water each pocket before filling with potting compost and planting up. Make pockets in the top layer of compost about 6 inches apart. Water each pocket before adding potting compost and planting.
- Make holes in the top layer of straw approximately 10-15cm (4-6”) wide, and equally deep.
- Fill with compost.
- Plant seeds, seedlings, or plants.
- Using a watering can or hose, water in well.
Adding seaweed extract to the water you use to water your seeds/seedlings or plants can be beneficial to the plants. Plants need more than just the basic NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) of chemical fertilizers. Seaweed contains many beneficial minerals, including all the trace elements that plants need, and it can help your plants develop strong, healthy roots.
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