You can create new no dig beds in many ways. Here there are strong weeds so the cardboard and deep compost help massively to reduce their growth. Then also you can plant straightaway.
We look at different types of compost, and how much to use. They need not look perfect, can be lumpy.
If you use planks or boards, they can be 15 cm deep and of whatever length will make the bed size you desire.
Here I’m using a pallet collar which is already screwed at the corners, a quick way to have a template for holding the compost for the first few months.
00:00 Introduction
00:36 Prep work before making bed – compost left from wormery, removing weeds
01:26 Levelling uneven ground
02:19 Removing creeping buttercup at the edge only, with spade
03:38 Dealing with woody weeds, eg brambles
04:06 Levelling existing compost, and which compost to use when making a bed
05:26 Cardboard for suppressing weeds, and laying the pallet collar (temporary)
06:47 Importance of cardboard at edges, outside any bed
07:37 Suitable composts for bottom layer of bed
08:18 Adding the cardboard and compost, including some that is woody – my advice on this
11:24 Amount of compost used at the beginning
12:19 Walking on the compost
13:01 Two difficult weeds – couch grass Ely’s repens, and bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
14:13 The benefits of using a large amount of compost at start
15:24 The finished bed, and I plant a potato!
16:41 Five days later – a look at the neighbouring wormery
18:00 Plants ready to go in the new bed, and chitted potatoes
19:04 Bed with another layer of compost now added, treading it down
20:03 Planting up the bed – potatoes, multisown spinach, peas, spring onions, beetroot, lettuce, turnips – then watering
Filming Carly Dutton-Edwards 21st March, then Nicola Smith 25th March, and intro 31st
Somerset UK.
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39 Comments
Couch is known as twich here, maybe because you end up twitching like the captain in the pink panther pulling it. Having said that i have as good as eradicated it from my allotment, though bindweed has taken it's place 😢
Can't wait to see the follow up video. Inspired as always. Great video Charles
Love the idea of the beet root and spring onion trial in the same hole!! Hope to see the results!
Great video, thanks Charles as usual. In regards to the type of compost…. I live in the highlands and can only find composted bark to be delivered in bulk to start some beds off. It's arrived and is very well composted, fine grade and only a little warm in the very middle of the bulk bag. What do you think of this as a growing medium? Do I need to enrich it somehow, shall I expect to struggle until I can add some composted manure or similar?
What do you think of using biochar in compost?
Muchas personas no hacen su propio compost y es que para mí el principal problema del compost es que la gente no se cree que de los restos vegetales y de casa pueda transformarse en compost "tierra", pero es totalmente real, y son el mejor alimento para nuestras plantas. Para una familia de 4 personas puede aportar 2 kg de restos de casa por semana, unos 100 kg al año, imaginaros 10 familias, 100 familias,…hagan números…
Thank you Charles for your teaching efforts ❤.
I started my no dig journey about 7 weeks ago – have about 2/3 of the final veggie patch done and cardboard down for the rest with all my paths mulched with wood chip. It’s been so hot here for autumn (zone 10 in Central Victoria, Australia) only getting down to 20C maximums in the past week finally, but have put a brassica, bush beans and beetroot in (bought seedlings because my first effort was a failure – have binge watched so many of your videos so I can improve that!) and the peas are doing well so I’m happy for now 😊 and hoping the root veggies all germinate. Lettuce is next, going to try both container and direct sowing to see if I can get a few without killing them this time 😂. I’ve got a few of your CD module trays and wow, they’re so good so more are ordered.
This way of gardening is so much easier than digging which is how we’ve done it at all our other homes.
Your Pall collar is upsidedown 🙂 the sharp metal on each corner should be down in the soil for stability and also to avoid injuring when working in the bed. They are used to connect many pall collars together when shipping products via truck or boat. Thanks!
Another awesome video!!! Thank you Charles ❤️
That is raised bed gardening!
We are only starting out on journey of growing veg in Ireland. Good advice..
What a great way to start the day! I don't have room for a pallet bed but I take on board all of the Knowledge you give and transfer it to my numerous pots. Thank you!
Thx!
We are not having the issues with slugs this year as it’s a lot dryer then last year. A lot.
Lovely to see that you even cared for the slug Charles by placing him on the grass, that's exactly what I would do too, then I would be out pronto with the mower:)
It's amazing how much can be grown in even a small amount of space.
No slugs here in Cheshire this year too. Last year was awful but this year my 2 water tanks are both empty. We've had no rain for a couple of weeks now and over a week of just sun (& an aircraft haze of course). Happy daze 🌞
Great video, prefect new gardeners
That method of mixed planting looks good. I haven't tried it beyond growing two types of fruit or vegetables together. I'm not sure what would happen when they require different types of covers or supports.
Top stuff
That’s a nice little bed! July 2012 I wanted to plant more veg and I just put down a wood frame, cardboard and compost on top. I don’t think I’d ever seen a video on it, maybe but doubtful, it was just intuition. I did know about cardboard weed smothering from Seb Holtzer though I believe. Anyhow, great little beet and carrot harvest, the basil died because of late fall cold…. Those onions and beets together could be interesting, maybe it wasn’t a mistake😂
Nice choice of plants for that little bed. I think it’s going to look beautiful. Nice that it’s right next to the worm bed. I’m going to try the multi-sown beets and turnips this year You said 4 turnips, but beets have multiple seeds per pod though, How many do you plant? I actually prefer smaller over larger. I actually grow more beets than needed, because goldfinch come and eat the leaves and I like to share because I enjoy them. 😊
Trying old jute sacks this year as a base layer to suppress weeds. Hopefully it will work the same as cardboard
Just received your latest book here in weymouth, Massachusetts. Lovely! Exited to see a parcel from the royal mail.
Hi Charles, I am just starting my own garden. You made the comment that you would keep the pallet collar for only a few months.
1. Why, is it problematic to keep it on there permanently?
2. How would you support the raised bed without the collar acting as a frame?
I appreciate any advice any of you seasoned gardeners can offer.
Thanks all
What do I do if my garden is chock full of rubble just below the surface? Surely I can’t do anything without removing at least most of the rubble first? I’d have thought that if I simply put cardboard and then compost on top the plants will have no depth of soil to grow into?
your video is so good and meaningful🎉🎉🎉❤
Love the 🐈⬛❤
You mentioned in one of your last videos that some people think you talk about slugs too much… Now, I have a little laugh whenever you mention them, because I never really thought about it before then. I guess because I deal with slugs too, I didn't give it much thought. Lol 😊
This is really our favourite garden channel. Greetings from Germany 💚🌱😊
I have stopped using cardboard in the garden since It is required by law to be made out of recycled materials and it often contains Pfas also known as forever chemicals, stuff you really don't want to have in the soil if you grow food…
😂 living life on the edge. Beetroot and onions!
19:05 That's quite the dance you've got going there. 🕺
Just a thing about how close to put the new frame from the other, because I have done that mistake and got slugs living in between both and very difficult to get rid of so better to make a path between rather👍
Why did you put your pallet collar upside down? Or am I putting them in upside down 😮😅😅 I put them in and push the metal spikes into the ground to stop them moving. If I put another one on top, I do the same and the metal spike secures it. Good video.
Inspirational video! I enjoyed every minute of it!
Greetings from Croatia!
I started no dig on my raised beds this year. It's going really well. Broad beans thriving, leeks planted out, sowed carrots and parsnips today (April 7th) Potatoes are in. I like the weed control. Mine are down by I would estimate about 99% – amazing. You do still get a few come through the cardboard occasional dandelion and dock, but I just pull them up. Thanks Charles for all the info and good quality seeds 🙂 🙂
Subscribed 🎉🎉🎉🎉 thank you ❤❤❤❤❤
Are we worried about PFAS in the cardboard and papers?
I've watched this channel for almost 10 years, brilliant content. I'd really like to see a video on growing on a bit larger scale sometimes, how do we overcome the regular challenges on a larger scale?
I know Charles used to market garden on a larger scale, please share some experiences-I can't afford cardboard, micro fibre cover or even a net for 1.5 acre of growing area. I have no water but have dug a well and hopefully I'll get 1000ltrs a day. Dry here up North.
Thanks,