Broadfork

A rye grass green manure has done its job over winter. I lifted it with a ho-mi and left it on the surface to continue to break down before the bed is planted up next month.

On other beds I’ve cover killed the rye grass. Both methods work well.

Some bramble roots have been forked up and removed from another bed. Some still need to be removed another time.

This is as much soil disturbance as I’ll ever do. Minimum till rather than no dig. #GreenManure #CoverCrops #Mulch #Allotment #Gardening

Mar 10 at 11:16pmWeb
Show threadJimmyB (he/him)5d ago
@Broadfork yeah - I can’t see how I can weed effectively or plant potted plants without a bit of dig!
Show threadBroadfork4d ago

@JimmyB People can and often do take the term no dig too literally.

It’s just keeping soil disturbance to a minimum while still gardening effectively, like dibbing a hole to pop a transplant in.

Show threadMike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺4d ago
@Broadfork @JimmyB
I've always tried to minimise soil disturbance where I can but large areas of my plot - despite having lots of compost over the years - still pans down to a hard clay surface.
I give these areas a half-spit dig some time over winter if I get the chance, although I'm increasingly unconvinced about how much good it does compared to hoeing the surface to get rid of weeds
Show threadBroadfork3d ago

@MikeFromLFE If you don’t have a compaction layer that needs breaking up, I wouldn’t dig there at all. It’s counterproductive.

Just add lots of organic matter to it, whatever you can find, leave it be and keep it mulched over the growing season to protect the soil.

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Show threadMike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺3d ago
@Broadfork Thanks. I'll give that a go over the next few seasons.
Show threadJimmyB (he/him)2d ago
@Broadfork @MikeFromLFE I have been just delighted what enthusiastic mulching has done for our very poor soils. What were once pretty nearly worm free and not productive are now worm central and I grow loads. Mulch is the answer to all my #gardening questions! (Maybe not *all* but it’s a very big part)
Show threadMaru5d ago
@Broadfork tried it once. Found it very hard to let it break down. Now I mulch with cardboard and leaves
Show threadBroadfork4d ago
@maru This was my fifth winter using rye grass. I mulch with leaves also but rye grass provides a living cover all winter here. My beds are much better for using it than not.
Show threadMaru3d ago
@Broadfork good work!