Gardening With The No-Dig System
Posted by admin | Gardening | Posted on February 23rd, 2009
The process involves starting with layers of newspaper, by the addition of alfalfa and hay, straw and compost in successive layers, you can create a growing medium without resorting to heavy digging, which is rich in nutrients and which will simplify weeding and encourage your desired plants to grow large. The composite layers together, and encourage earthworms. The gardens are maintained by adding manure, compost, etc, and should not be dug up, as this will undo the good work. I have used this approach to the creation of gardens, and it certainly works.
The excavation of the foundation is not solid. Excessive cultivation of the soil, especially when very wet or very dry, it can damage soil structure and lead to compaction. Such excessive cultivation can also discourage the earthworms, and are the best free labor a gardener has.
Some followers of permaculture and organic gardening have not ever dig dig, which I think is sadly mistaken. If you start with a base of compacted soil that is wrong, then you do not dig your garden initially work well, but you can find your garden does not continue to function well. The fertile layer that has built up will encourage earthworms, but we do know that worms need housing too hot, dry, cold or humidity. They were found to seek shelter from extreme conditions by digging deeper into the soil, often the feet down. If housing can not be this way, it is my assertion that die or leave.
My belief is that the first cultivation of the soil before applying the excavation is not guaranteed a better environment for worms, and therefore a better garden for growing plants in the longer term.
By all means take the approach of not attempting a dig – you will be pleased with the outcome.
