There's no better time to try a No-Dig vegetable patch.

I thought the restrictions that were imposed a couple of months ago would mean the end of Garden-Sharing in 2020, but I’m so glad you’re proving me wrong. So, to thank you Lenders and Tenders, new and not so new. I’m going to try and bring you some of the best advice out there to help you get started with your garden-sharing projects. So with gratitude, let’s ‘un-box’ a very special guest.

I would like to introduce you to an amazing person: With 35 years of vegetable gardening experience, he’s the author of multiple books, was gardening advisor to Which? Magazine and on YouTube, has been crowed the ‘David Attenborough of No-Dig’. 

Could you all please put your gardening gloves together for Charles Dowding. 

Whether you’re fairly new to Gardening, or have a garden that you once loved, but can no longer manage; Charles Dowding’s No-Dig method, couldn’t be simpler and is beneficial to both gardens and gardeners. 

I caught up with Charles recently to bring you some sage advice. Check out the Youtube video below:

No-Dig, means just that and fewer weeds and pests… every gardeners goal. 

But to begin with, without sugar coating the initial work that’s involved. Charles states,

“Don’t underestimate that vegetables are perhaps the most difficult garden plants to grow. They're more difficult than many flowers. They have very specific requirements and they're very prone to a lot of pests.”

And it’s those pests that can deter even the most eager of new gardeners:  I mean, it’s unbearable to think about the precious seedlings I once spent weeks preening and protecting on my windowsills, that in the past succumbed to the toothless night-time chomping of slugs and snails, my healthy new veggie patch gone in a night. 

Charles shares my sentiments, but to save gardeners “spending a lot of time and money for no result”. His No-Dig method is really not just no nonsense, as he puts it

“It’s a different mindset. It's not about reacting to a problem that happens, but preventing it before it happens.” 

How is No-Dig different? Sometimes it’s also called No-Till and instead of turning over the earth, It’s simply building structure above the soil line. 

As we’ve been at home for the last 8 weeks and more than ever, relying on delivery services; I hope you’ve been keeping your cardboard boxes, if you haven’t yet, you’ll want to now.

Another reason to be extra grateful to our delivery services, all those boxes!!! Image source

Whether you’re creating a new bed on top of a lawn or in borders.

To start with, get that lawnmower out. Keep the grass short and clear the site. If you are transforming a lawn,

“Grass is a great place to grow food because it's very easy to mulch. Then it’s a matter of ‘cardboard and compost’, which you can plant on straightaway.”

That’s basically it! Put overlapped layers of cardboard down to suppress weeds, then a layer of compost on top and plant. 

It seems that with such simplicity, there’s some sort of magic involved in No-Dig, but really; that magic is purely wildlife. 

“A lot [of that magic] is in the soil and that's got overlooked over the years. People concentrate on the visible wildlife above, but it's the bit you can't see that's actually more interesting and that's where No-Dig really scores, because you're leaving all that to to flourish.”

You’re respecting all of that by allowing all that soil life to remain undisturbed (by not digging). 

In my own experience, at harvest time, there has been a surprisingly vast difference in result from that of a ‘dug’ garden to the to the alternative of No-Dig. Potatoes and Beetroots can bulge and come up more easily, carrots are also bigger and healthier. They can really plunge through the soft and nutritious soil to give you great produce.

Charles rejoices that sometimes, what could otherwise seem a bit strange and off-putting…

“soil is quite white, made of fungal threads that reach into cavities in soil which roots can't access;  fungi is the real hero and can help plants by teaming up with the roots.”

Charles has made it his mission to dispel garden myths, notably in one of his best selling books: Gardening Myths and Misconceptions, testament to that is his no-dig method has been reliably helping him produce a LOT of food for over 35 years. 

Charles’ fun and forthright advice, helps gardeners save time and money in Gardening Myths and Misconceptions, one of his many books.

Try it for yourself. Charles recommends starting small.  He suggests a 2” foot by 8” foot bed to allow you to tend to the edges and reach the middle easily and after composting, walk on the bed, firm it down. Which then allows plants to anchor into the ground so they don’t fall over. 

To start your No-Dig bed this summer, arrange layered cardboard down on to your chosen site, then wet the cardboard. It helps make contact with the ground below. Then the cardboard will slowly decompose, but what it does is it acts as a temporary barrier to weeds pushing up. Charles then recommends

“Use compost, not soil because there's so much more richness and goodness in compost. And that will provide you fertility for many years to come.”

Charles appreciates there are costs in the first instance, but the “long term investment” certainly outweigh the alternatives.

If you want to explore No-Dig in more detail there is a plethora of advice from Charles online: books, the No-Dig Youtube channel and online courses. 

Most importantly on Charles’ website, there's a page called the sewing timeline. DO NOT START PLANTING WITHOUT IT.

There are lots of tips for what's best to sew in each different month.

“Just doing that one thing could save you a lot of problems. Basically, what you're doing as you're respecting the natural growth pattern of each vegetable, as they all do best for being sown at different times of the year.”

Now is such a great time for gardening and not too late at all and Charles reassures, that In late May, June, July, there are a lot of plants you can sow in those months, kale, runner, beans, French beans, cucumbers, courgettes and in August and September,  a lot of different salads for winter.

“Go for it! Try one bed. You’ll be surprised how much you can grow!”

Honestly, I couldn’t agree more. If you enjoyed the advice from Charles, please do share this and the very best of luck with all of your future garden projects! 

Till next time, or should I, in the spirit of No-Dig, say: Don’t till at all!