No dig garden construction - workshop

This is the full video of the no dig garden construction workshop from 2009 that the previous quick video was made from. The video features Bob Jones and Myk Rushton

You do not have to follow the video specifically, you can use different materials - just follow the general pattern of construction

Visit the New Zealand no dig garden website http://www.no-dig-gardening.org or the www.permaculture.org.nz if you wish to further discuss this or other techniques for a resilient future

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Lasagne
• layer
• mulch
• no dig
• garden
• permaculture

[betterworldsolutions]

I am not converted yet too, how can you directly plant into the new bed. are there no decomposting forces active? e.g. robbing Nitrogen?

[MykRushton]

@betterworldsolutions Ideally the bed is constructed in the Autumn for use in the spring. All greens material used in the bed is nitrogenous so there is an excess of added nitrogen. The bed is not a windrow, although there may be some composting that is not the intention behind a no dig bed

[psychobunny32]

be careful using greens/grass from people who use fertilizer or weed killer. your garden will suffer for it

[MykRushton]

@psychobunny32 very good point. Ideally all material brought onto site should be composted before use to remove/breakdown any toxic components (add local soil to facilitate this removal/breakdown. Material from site with a known history can be used directly

[barkershill]

Plants get their carbon from the atmosphere not the soil. Carbonaceous material is valuable because it eventually turns into humus which does not feed the soil as such but forms a matrix round soil particles which enhances the texture and usability of pretty well any soil.

[barkershill]

@MykRushton Sorry, what i was trying to say was .As you will know, Plants can only assimilate nutrients from organic matter once it has been broken down by soil dwelling micro organisms into water soluable forms. which obviously takes a while,as carbonaceous material initially robs the soil of nitrogen. and there you are putting growing plants "ready in 6weeks" into a bed of hay grass etc.the same day its made. these plants would obviously suffer a severe growth check to put it mildly.

[flanmaryj]

I've use this method in my home gardens for years. I have developed very rich soil in my veggie garden. I asking have a fruit garden, shrub garden, and several perennial gardens. Whenever I need to plant a small to large section, I start with cardboard or paper and work my planting medium upward. The brown paper bags from grocery stores tear easily to fit excellent around plants to smother weeds without using pesticides.

[fallingboybuddy]

@betterworldsolutions Not sure i understand the question but most your arobic composting organisms dont rob nitrogen. They get energy by converting complex nitrogens into simple nitrogens which your plants need. I myself would let it age some to actually get the compost going.

[MykRushton]

@barkershill All the carbonaceous (brown) and nitrogenous (green) material added to the bed is plant based. The material therefore contains all the nutirients needed by plants to grow

[barkershill]

@MykRushton You say you can plant sraight into this stuff , where does the nitrogen and other nutrients for those plants come from?? Im all for mulching with compost , im just saying there seems to be no nutrients available the way you are doing it.

[MykRushton]

@barkershill The design shown is for liberating new areas but can also be practiced on existing vegegardens which are on sandy soils or over used, the idea is to build up humus. As there is no/little nitrogen in the soil the nitrogen in the bed will supply the nitrogen required i.e. there is no net loss from the soil only addition. Eventually the bed will only require mulching rather than rebuilding every year - see previous comments. Molloscs will always be a problem!