No-dig beds, one year on
The black sheeting came off last May. Underneath, the couch grass had given up trying and the soil was full of worms. Since then the two long beds on that side have been run no-dig: no forking, just a few centimetres of compost on top every autumn and planting straight into it.
What I've noticed
- Fewer weeds. Not none, but they come up from the compost on top, not from deep in the ground, and pull out easily.
- Wetter soil in a dry spell. The no-dig beds needed watering about half as often in August.
- Slugs. More of them. They like the shelter of the mulch. Beer traps and evening torch patrols have mostly kept them in check.
- Cost. Buying in compost isn't cheap. The leaf mould and my own compost bays should cover most of it from next year.
The dug side of the plot, the half I cleared by hand, grew perfectly good vegetables too. I'm not a convert so much as lazy. This autumn the rest of the plot goes no-dig, and the fork goes back to its job of lifting potatoes.