No Dig Gardens - How to Build One

The no dig garden is exactly what it describes...a fertile garden bed with no digging at all. It involves layering clean, organic materials that will literally compost around your plants as they grow.

The No Dig Garden is built on top of the ground, so you can build a garden anywhere. This makes it extremely attractive for those sites that have poor soil or are weed infested. It's also a great method of gardening for those that can't (or don't want to) dig a garden patch!

The site you choose for your garden must get at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. Drainage will be good because of the materials that will be used in making the garden.

If you are planting over lawn or weeds, mow them to ground level. If you are planting on a hard surface, put down some cushioning organic material first (like seaweed or leaves).

To build your no dig garden start with a layer of newspaper (no colour printing), at least 6mm (1/4 inch) thick. Surround the garden with some sort of border material. This can be bricks, logs, planks or rocks but should be at least 20-25CM high (8-10 inches) to contain the organic material within.

Lay down a layer of lucerne hay leaving no gaps, to a height of 10cm (about 4 inches). Layer some good organic fertilizer on top to a height of 20mm (1 inch). This can be just about any sort of good quality material like chicken, horse, cow or sheep manure.

Add another thick layer of straw to the garden 150mm (6 inches) and another layer of fertilizer and then top it off with a 100mm (4 inches) of compost.

Water the garden until it's soaking and let it settle for a few days before planting.

Seedlings do better than seeds in the no dig garden.

Here's what will happen. The seedlings will get a kick start in the rich, compost top soil. The fertilizer underneath will start the 'composting' of the lucerne hay and straw. The composting will generate heat and biological activity that will really kick along the seedling growth. The roots will further break down the straw and hay and it in turn will become solid enough to support the growing plants.

The newsprint is thick enough to discourage weed growth through the layers, but will deteriorate enough to allow earth worms to chew their way upwards.

Continue to layer mulch, straw and compost as the garden bed matures. Never dig this bed over, just layer more and more material as required. Rotate your crops and add fresh compost regularly.

Your garden bed will deliver consistent, spectacular results season after season.

Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Landscaping/Gardening Information:

Related Articles

Online Garden Seed Exchanges
If you've been gardening for any length of time you have probably realized a couple of things.1: Gardening can be quite expensive2: Finding the plants you really want can be a daunting task.
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
Do you have clay or layer of hard subsoil problems in your garden? Then gypsum may be the answer to help loosen the soil structure. It is not considered a miracle substance and you will find that it doesn't work right away, but a 3 year program of applications should help improve the poor soil conditions.
Tractors and Their History
I recently bought a small tractor for my garden, which prompted me to right this article.The tractor was a John Deere, GT235.
5 Simple Steps to Care For Your Push Reel Mower
Though most Push Reel Mowers made today are durable, they do require some basic care and simple maintenance in order to keep them running smoothly. Taking the following steps will ensure you have years of use on your push reel mower.
Christmas Season House Plants
Now that we are into the Christmas season we will see, and maybe even have, one or more of the holiday plants in our home. There are several varieties that most of us will only see at this time of the year. Here are a few of them that are available here in our area: Christmas Cactus, Cyclamen, Kalanchoe, Amaryllis and the ever popular Poinsettia. These plants brighten our homes, offices, churches and hospital rooms at this time of the year. They make a fine gift that lasts for weeks if not months.
Using Annuals in Your Perrenial Garden
Annuals in your pernnial garden are something to think about! Annuals give you season long color, easy propogation, they're cost efficient, and provide first season interest.If you're just starting a perennial garden annuals are a great choice to fill in gaps.
How To Choose Water Garden Plants
So. The water garden bug has bitten.
Introduction to Aquaponics
Hydroponics and aquaponics are very similar in every way except hydroponics requires the addition of fertilizer and there's no fish in the nutrient solution.In aquaponics, plants and fish live a symbiotic life with the fish feeding the plants, and the plants cleaning and filtering the fish's environment.
5 Pieces of Equipment Gardeners Cant Live Without
Gardening is fun and rewarding and may be considered a hobby, talent or both and sometimes it's just luck. Gardening is not as easy as it looks and involves dedication, time and consistency and many trials and errors.
The Basics Of Pruning
The technique of pruning varies with the type of rose and the landscape purpose for which it was planted, whether it's growing in the ground or in a container. Pruning can range from removing unwanted buds to severely excising canes.
Pruning the Backyard Grapevine
Proper pruning of your backyard grapevines is essential to maintain vine size, shape, and yield of the grapes. If you don't prune your vines, they will become unruly, tangled messes.
Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting can add a beautiful quality to any home. There are many choices available to someone who is considering it.
Organic Gardening
"Organic gardening is not just the avoidance of chemicals, in the larger view, it is organic living using nature's laws." I read this quote by an unknown person sometime ago and realized that my parents and others like them were organic gardeners long before the current resurrection of these principles.
How and When to Plant Roses
When spring comes and the ground is thawed, it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses have been a cherished aphrodisiac since biblical times.
Garlic: The Stinking Rose
Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the 'stinking rose' and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats.
Chives - Allium Schoenoprasum
Known as common garden chives, Allium schoenoprasum, can be grown indoors and out. Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium.
Add Rich Color To Your Garden With Blue Perennial Flowers
Blue flowers are some of the most striking plants around and can add a rich splash of color to any garden. Plant them in a cluster of all blue or mix them in with other flowers for a rainbow of color.
Imagine Your Own Orchid Garden In A Pond
Who doesn't love to hear the water rushing and flowing through a very pretty orchid garden in a pond? Yes, this does not have to be only a dream. You can make it a reality.
The Difference Between Large and Small Ponds
If you think that a large pond is simply a small pond that "grewup", you're in for some pond maintenance problems. Let's startoff my defining the terms that we'll be using here.
Landscaping Tips
When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape, the task may be overwhelming. Before the first shovel of soil is turned, close your eyes and picture your dream garden.