Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - [Livingontheland] gardening without tilling and virtually no weeding

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Douglas Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
  • To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>, <pumpkin@xanadoo.com>
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] gardening without tilling and virtually no weeding
  • Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 07:56:49 -0700

Morgan,
 
I don't grow veggies for market like Paul, and don't make any claims to be an expert. I don't keep notes and I'm not very organized or scientific about it. Just grow for the wife and I...and for our chickens, and a few neighbors. Here's what we do and it seems to work fine for us:
 
1. We use nine large raised bed containers ranging in size from 4'x8' to 3'x30'. Some are made out of cement blocks, some 2"x12'' boards, and some pre-formed plastic; etc.  (Blocks are best if you can swing it.) It's helpful to set-up the container beds in a screened in porch or greenhouse to protect plants from squirrels, birds, and late/early frosts; it will extend your growing seasons.
 
2. Lay 1/4" hardware cloth or steel screen on the bottom to keep gophers from tunneling up.
 
3. Fill beds with about 1/2 sand and 1/2 compost. (I "cheat" and buy organic compost in bales from a local farm supply rather than making it myself. This year I hope to bring in a semi-truck and trailer full of compost to spread on my entire orchard.)
 
4. We add worm castings from our vermicomposting bin, and more compost to the top of beds annually; and plant seeds directly in beds.
 
5. Add water daily. I have nine large beds and water by spraying the garden hose. Doesn't take all that long and gives me a chance to look everything over daily.
 
It's simple, no tilling, virtually no weeding. Plants look happy. The End. ;-)
 
Doug
 
 
 
"Thank you but Lasagna gardening is exactly what I don't want, that's why
I said that and double digging were what I could find associated with
the term. I don't want tiny beds with cardboard or newspaper and
compost/mulch on top of it. If that's required, I ain't doing it. That's
pretty much what I have seen associated with lasagna gardening.

I'm also not willing to double dig.

I was thinking I had seen people talking like they didn't do either, but
not recently and I am not sure how to search archives here. I can figure
out how to read them, just not how to search for stuff inside specifically."

Morgan



  • [Livingontheland] gardening without tilling and virtually no weeding, Douglas Willhite, 04/05/2008

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page