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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] ||Double-Digging - NOT

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  • From: "Don" <ujgs@4dirs.com>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] ||Double-Digging - NOT
  • Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 17:42:27 -0700

Hey Folks,
I have heavy clay soils here in Mesa,AZ and I used to dig twice a year to prep for the spring and fall.
Now I do NOT dig...I tickle the surface enouth to prep for seeds and that's it.

I "Do no harm" to the living organisms and the biodiverse system that does the work for me...I replace the compost, plant worms, spray EM's, and use boards to stay off the soil and limit compaction. This allows the soil organisms to do the work for me "I can sit on the patio couch (mollison technique) knowing I set up the system to be more sustainable"

My veggie bed is raised 6 inches, 20x20, spray irrigation (to volitate the chlorine from my tap water), org fert w/ em's, and then rotate the chickens in the bed!!!

My seeds come up the same, my yields are the same and my Chiropractor gets less $$$.

Don Titmus, Four Directions PermaCulture.
Mesa, AZ.

----- Original Message ----- From: "E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 2:46 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Global Food Supply Near the Breaking Point ||Double-Digging and John Jeavons' methods and books


Three comments about double-digging:

1) My soil is single-dig deep (then rock).
2) In the absence of mechanical disturbance (introducing air) there is little nutrient-producing biological activity below a foot of depth. Thus it's not very "natural".
3) It's HARD WORK!

So, if Jeavons' concepts are based on double-digging, it's not for me.

E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
www.hillcountrynatives.biz
----- Original Message ----- From: Lawrence F. London, Jr.
To: permaculture
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Global Food Supply Near the Breaking Point || Double-Digging and John Jeavons' methods and books



Double digging a garden plot may be the best way to improve soil without using
any power equipment. Alan Chadwick and John Jeavons developed the method
and popularized it through lectures, workshops and publications. This method
began being widely used during the 1960's-1980's as many companies marketed
imported English-style garden tools that worked best when using this gardening method.
The basic array included short D-handled tools such as a digging spade (straight point),
a digging fork and a spade fork. You could do it all with these three tools. A rake,
garden spade, pitchfork or compost fork and manure fork or potato digger were also used.

A few references:

Ecology Action
http://www.growbiointensive.org/biointensive/GROW-BIOINTENSIVE.html
Jeavons' Books, Seeds and More:
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/
John Jeavons' books:
"How To Grow More Vegetables That You Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Imagine"
New 6th Edition
http://www.growbiointensive.org/biointensive/book.html

Alan Chadwick lectures
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/orgfarm/permaculture/Alan.Chadwick/

Gardening Hand Tool SOurcelist
http://market-farming.com/gardening-hand-tools.faq



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