On November 3, 2022 we celebrated the first annual No Dig Day, created by Charles Dowding. No dig gardening is a method of gardening that involves no digging or tilling of the soil to maintain a healthy network of living soil full of beneficial microbes and . Soil health is the foundation of all health and no dig gardening supports nutrient rich, living soil. Plants are happier and healthier. It is possible to utilize no dig practices in raised beds as well as garden beds that are on the ground. 

The basics of no dig gardening include:

• Leaving the soil undisturbed.
• Not tilling or digging the garden area either prior to or after establishing a garden bed.
• Utilizing finished compost/organic matter to feed the soil and plants by adding a layer to the top of the soil.
• Smothering weeds with cardboard or another light blocking material, then adding a layer of compost to plant in.
• Gently remove weeds when they are very small by lightly going over the surface with a weeding hoe before they can establish.

Leaving the soil undisturbed with the no dig method has shown a superior quality of soil health in my experience. I have been practicing do dig methods for years and really only tilled my gardens when first establishing them. (I’m talking about my in ground garden areas, my raised beds are fairly new they’re about 3+ years old now and have been done using no dig methods from the beginning.)  If you want to learn more about no dig gardening I highly suggest heading over to Charles Dowding’s website. I also suggest watching his YouTube videos as they are chalk full of information and his gardens are beautiful. If you already practice no dig gardening, let me know in the comments!

If you need help starting, perhaps book a coaching session for 1:1 help. Garden Coaching Sessions