What is No-Dig Gardening?
Did you know you can have a productive vegetable garden without digging and tilling the soil? It’s true! With a bit of cardboard and compost, you can create a no-dig garden – the garden you’ve always wanted without the back-breaking work you dread.
What you need to begin your no-dig garden
· A sunny spot
· Cardboard
· Water
· Compost
· Patience
Choose a sunny spot and clean away any debris. No need to dig up wild foliage; just cut it down to the ground. Placing a shallow layer of compost on top helps decrease the time of ground decomposition.
Next, put down two layers of cardboard, one layer at a time, and soak each layer with water. Then, spread a 6-inch layer of compost on top of the cardboard. Now, wait four to six weeks before planting. (Remember: patience.)
Planting your no-dig garden
Seedlings: Dig a hole the size of the root ball, place it into the hole, and cover firmly with soil.
Large Seeds: Simply press them into the ground.
Small Seeds: Using a hand spade, follow the directions on the seed packets as to the depth of the needed trough, scatter them into the soil, and cover lightly.
Three benefits of no-dig gardening
Fewer weeds: Weed seeds are smothered and are less likely to produce when the soil remains undisturbed. Any weeds that do pop up are more easily removed thanks to shallow roots.
Healthier Soil: Digging and tilling diminishes soil nutrients, increases weed production, and destroys earth-enriching organisms. No dig-gardening combats those problems. Healthier soil helps produce more nutrient-rich vegetables.
Less work overall: No tilling or shoveling is necessary. When it’s time to plant, there is no need to add anything to supplement the soil. You no longer have to spend considerable amounts of time pulling weeds. At the end of the season, you’re less like to have to pull up old crops from the roots. Cutting them down to the ground will often suffice.