Total Allotment Time: 2 & 3/4hrs.Principle Tasks: Putting down timber edging on second veg bed (unfinished). Forking over soil and removing perennial weed roots in preparation for continuing the above. Clipping the newly sown grass (to about 6cm) along front edge of plot with garden shears.
1 comment:
Hi Jimmy. Sorry, I had hoped to reply to your last comment earlier this evening, but got called away.
Yes, it's an interesting topic this no-dig method and I'm certainly continuing to raise eyebrows at the allotments, although I'm not the first to try it this way up there (just this evening I had another 'old boy' let me know that it's time to dig and expose the soil to the frosts) :o)
It appeals to me, not because of the avoidance of digging (which in the past I've found I'm good at) but in most part because it seems to me to be nature's way not to dig. Only occasionally do we see bare soil in nature (maybe when a tree topples, or a creature grubs) and never for long when it does - a covering of quick growing opportunist species are sure to appear within days.
The other reason I've opted to try this way is simply because I hate chopping worms. Digging spades should be banned imho :o) It's an old wive's tale that earthworms regrow into two. It's been proved beyond doubt that only occasionally the head end survives, most times this most beneficial of nature's soil inhabitants dies a slow death (the pale ring folk often cite as proof a worm's regrown, is in fact it's sexual apparatus). Why hurt them when there's another way?
I've just found this interesting article on the no-dig method which has highlighted some possible drawbacks:
http://www.allotment.org.uk/articles/No_Dig_Method_of_Growing.php
It'll be interesting to see how I get on.
Best Regards,
Tim :o)x
PS. Yep, I'm still finding plenty of healthy weed roots in the area I've recently exposed from under the last of the plastic - I'll try and remember to take a pic next time I dig :o)
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