No-dig gardening is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than tilling before planting a garden, you strategically build up rich layers of compost, manure and even cardboard to amend the soil. No-dig gardening — also called the no-till or no-plow method — stifles weeds, boosts biodiversity, prevents erosion and improves soil health. Here’s how to get started.
Deciding If No-Till Is Right for You
No-dig gardening is an excellent way to grow your own food without harming the surrounding ecosystem. In fact, 37% of conventional U.S. agriculture uses no-till methods. However, there are a few things to consider when deciding if you should plant a no-dig garden:
- Time: The first year of no-dig gardening might have ups and downs — especially if the land is degraded. You may see lower yields and more weeds than usual for a while.
- Location: If you live in a very cold or dry climate, you’ll have to work harder at growing a garden — whether no-till or traditional — than if you live in a mild, temperate growing zone with ample rainfall.
- Supplies: You’ll need cardboard or newspapers, compost, manure and gardening soil. If you’re starting your garden in tall weeds, poor soil or a very rocky area, you’ll need many more of these supplies.
- Patience: No-till gardening is more complicated than other tilling methods. You can’t just rip up the soil, throw in your seeds and forget about them. However, it offers bigger rewards and more opportunities to learn about ecology.
Layer After Layer
With no-dig gardening, you usually employ a layering system to build up and amend the soil. This method is sometimes called “lasagna gardening” in reference to the layers. Those levels are:
- Manure and lime if you’re creating a garden on top of grass. Use twigs as your first layer if starting your garden on a hard surface. If you’re gardening on soil, skip layer one.
- Cardboard or newspapers to block the light and stifle weeds.
- Compost or food waste.
- Manure or a manure-compost mix.
- Straw.
- Manure or a manure-compost mix.
- Straw.
It’s essential to have multiple layers to recreate the conditions where plants would grow in the wild, minus the pests, herbivores and unpredictable rainfall. You’ll essentially be growing your garden directly on a compost pile rather than creating a separate area for composting.
How to Start a No-Dig Garden
If you’re ready for a radical new gardening method to boost crop yields and restore a depleted landscape, put on your gloves and grab a shovel. It’s time to get to work.
1. Prepare the Site
First, if the area you want to plant in is overgrown, start by cutting any weeds down at the base rather than digging them out. Since they may contain seeds, throwing them away is best rather than adding them to your compost mix. You can also construct a raised bed if you prefer your garden to be in a container.