Description
Is no dig gardening affordable? Here I compare my dig and no dig trial beds, now in their 14th year, where both receive exactly the same amount of compost.
For successful vegetables, whether you dig or use no dig, the soil needs to be fertile. Fertility comes from organic matter raising the carbon content of soil.
As much as the organic matter brings nutrients, with no dig it also builds structure and soil stability. Whereas with digging, some of the precious organic matter is lost to oxidation when soil is turned over, and the soil's natural structure is degraded with each cultivation.
Initial investment in organic matter may be expensive, but not if you find sources of, say, free animal manure. Or if you can make your own compost.
Any larger amount of organic matter / compost when you start is a one-off, setting you up for big harvests from the start. Plus it's an investment in fertility, for all the years to come.
See 14 years of growth and results https://charlesdowding.co.uk/blogs/trials/dig-no-dig-trial-2019-2022
00:00 Introduction - my dig/no dig trial beds
00:28 Harvest comparison over 13 years, and carbon measurements
01:24 Cucumber comparison
02:08 Interplanting - fennel between cucumbers
02:46 Parsnips between lettuce - growth comparison
03:10 Leeks and carrots
03:45 Kale after peas - flea beetle damage
04:13 Chicory after onions, dramatic differences in establishment
04:40 Celeriac, beetroot, and French beans with nearby sunflowers taking moisture
05:28 Watering comparison
Filmed in August 2026 by Carly Dutton-Edwards.
Music by Rory Dunwoodie.
Thumb photo by Adam Wood.
#nodig #nodiggardening #vegetablegardening #compost #nodiggarden
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