Art-ology

You can start gardening anywhere when you choose to do no dig gardening. No dig gardening is exactly what the name implies, gardening without digging. In a no dig garden, you simply layer organic matter on top of the soil and plant your garden. The garden is the compost that feeds the plants. Gardening enthusiasts usually refer to no dig gardening as raised bed gardening. Raised bed gardening is becoming more and more popular.

If you live where the soil might not be conducive to whatever it is you wish to grow, (the most common choice is a vegetable garden) or you want to grow a garden on top of clay or a stony area, no dig gardening can be your answer. Almost anything grows in compost.

Just like regular gardening, you must choose a site first. The area should be level and be exposed to no less than five hours of sun daily. Don’t worry if the soil is bad or the weeds are invasive, as this is of little consequence to a no dig garden. Starting a garden on top of lawn or weeds will simply create more compost material in time, as long as you do not expose the vegetation to sunlight. This is part of the delight of no dig gardening.

You will probably want to designate your garden space by creating a border around it. For this, you can use old bricks, logs, stones, etc. The raised borders hold the garden inside so it doesn’t stray and nothing or no one can encroach. Next, lay down a layer of lucerne hay (alfalfa) to a height of about 10cm. Add a layer of organic fertilizer on top of that at a height of about 20 mm. Add a level of thick loose straw on top of that to 20cm, another layer of fertilizer, and finish your no dig garden with 10 cm of compost.

Your no dig garden will be more successful if you plant seedlings rather than seeds. Seeds have a tendency to disappear in the mix. Seedlings are easier to keep track of and you can plant seedlings well in the rich mixture. Try peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, or sweet corn. You should not try root crops until you have a more mature garden. Besides, you’ll have to dig to remove those.

There are no size or shape restrictions in no dig gardening. Make your garden as large or as little as you want. Try to avoid walking on it or in it, as this will compact the layers and impact your harvest. Keep building your garden up because it will tend to settle down. Practice crop rotation when you re-plant, keep adding compost and be sure to mulch around replacement plants.

Remember that no digging means your garden is easier to make, but you will have to work at maintaining it if you want a nice yield for your efforts. Only use organic materials in your garden. Never use chemical or man-made fertilizers or pesticides. No dig gardening mirrors nature’s way of growing, so staying organic is important to the philosophy of no dig gardening.

To learn more about ways to go green, save money and help the planet, go here: www.FreeTipsForGoingGreen.com