Forget everything you've ever read or learned about double-digging your veggie or flower beds, "no dig" is the new mantra in the gardening world. If you haven't tried it yet, you should! Your back will thank you.
Charles Dowding is a accomplished British gardener who has spent his career developing and perfecting a "no dig" growing system in his market garden in Somerset. It's a highly practical, time- and labour-saving alternative to garden methods involving soil cultivation.
As Charles says, "no dig" methods promote robust plant growth, enabling you to grow a large harvest of super-healthy food and flowers in a beautiful, sustainable garden with few weeds or pests.
He is also an organic grower and doesn't use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides in his garden. All his "no dig" beds are mulched with compost to minimize weed growth. He is a master composter and this book contains helpful guidance on creating the best compost heap.
New evidence shows that "no dig" helps retain carbon in soil, and feeds and nurtures soil microorganisms that play an important role in soil fertility, ecology and plant nutrition. Excellent stuff.
If you are a fan of Charles' or "no dig" in general, you will be interested in our "dibbers", a tool that Charles uses frequently when seeding and planting out starts.