2017 the year we go No Dig

I have grown in many different styles over the years but I have always been a big believer in feeding the soil and not the plants. Every winter I cover the borders with good garden compost or well rotted manure letting the rain and worms take it down into the soil beneath witch is basically No Dig Gardening.  

With out calling it such but I would always get the spade out to dig over the soil it has been drummed into me since a young age you always dig the soil. I remember the first day at Horticultural Collage it was all about the many types of digging single, double or Bastard trenching if it takes your fancy. So it is very difficult to resist the urge to put the spade in the soil but resist I must I have always noticed beds that have not been dig and just had good compost placed on top. Always grow the best crops with the least weeds and more healthier plants. Also what could be better than not having to do any more digging though the winter so should get a bit more time on my hands to do some more writing. Do pop back to see how we are getting on with our No Dig Gardening this year and hopefully we too can inspire you to take up this method as well.

The best Veg book i have read for a long time

Charles Dowding new book How to create a new Vegetable Garden is the best vegetable gardening book I have read for a long time. Published by Green Books

I have a book case full of vegetable growing books in my living room and this one is my new favourite's. Charles is the king of the No Dig garden he has mastered this method of gardening over a number of years in his garden in Somerset. He has written many gardening books over the years all about growing vegetables so who better to write a book about creating your own vegetable garden. This book covers how Charles has turned his new garden in to the highly productive garden that it is today all with out digging a bit of it. The book is a step by step guide to turn a lawn or a weedy patch in to a highly productive garden with out ever turning the soil over. This book is spit in to two parts the first part covers clearing the ground and preparing the soil. The second part is all about sowing and growing each part of the book is split up into smaller chapters such as Clearing ground, Hotbeds etc. This is a very personal book written about Charles own experiences about setting up his new garden. I would be surprised after reading this book if you where not inspired to get out there and start growing your own. If you only every had the choice to buy one vegetable gardening book then this would be the one I would recommend.

Available from all good book shops or direct from the publisher Green Books RRP £19.99

www.greenbooks.co.uk

ISBN 978057842442