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| I have heard a bit about the benefits of no dig garden beds ability to maintain soil microbes & was wondering:
Which vegetables, herbs & plants in general are happy in a No-Dig type of bed? Also, do you have any suggestions for creating no dig beds? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by emgardener (My Page) on Mon, Mar 12, 12 at 2:10
| Depends on your soil. I tried this on heavy clay soil. Double dug first year, got a decent harvest. This year I'm putting in hugelkultur beds (see previous post http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/permacult/msg0203260729988.htm l?5). Hopefully these will become no-till next year and beyond. |
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| need to be sure the no-dig raised bed is around 8"s deep on its own, see our bale garden feature, and no apologies we use heaps of gypsum, so when we dig down by finger around 12 months alter it can't be determined where the bed ends and the original soil begins. len |
Here is a link that might be useful: lens straw bale garden
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Mon, Mar 26, 12 at 17:11
| Have you investigated the term "lasagna" gardening? You'll find more suggestions than you have time to read. Lack of organic material and fertility may be as much to blame as compaction for your scrawny harvest. I do like to till initially, if there's someone around with a tiller who will do it for me, but never do it again after that. Usually I have started beds without it, though. After a few years of adding compost and mulch at the surface, the soil underneath will improve dramatically. Tilling infertile ground won't help much. |
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| Most plants like the no dig beds. Zucchini, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, cabbages, beans, peas, and more .... I didn't do it for the herb bed though because I needed to add lots of sand. In my area we need to be careful about slug/sowbug habitat in no dig beds and if soil is kept mulched in spring it doesn't warm up in our cool wet climate. We have wet & mild 9 months of the year, then dry cool summers. I switched away from the no dig for the vegetables, but just lightly turn in the sheet mulch on a good day in spring to prepare for planting. If I didn't the soil would stay too cold and the slugs would have a place to hide. I mulch again after it warms up & add more after harvest. Your zone isn't listed. You might want to contact someone in your area doing the method. They can advise you on what is particular to your climate. |
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