permaculture

[Chris Jackson <sidgeydog@yahoo.com>]

Broadforking is another option in this debate. 
Jeavon's touches on it in the old copy of the book I
have of his.  I know that Johnny's seeds sells
broadforks designed by Eliot Coleman.  Another good
book is the Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Ed Smith
from here in Vermont, which has a similar philosophy
to Jeavons, such as making raised beds and planting
patterns, and has lots of info on how to use a
broadfork.
Since I didn't have one this season, I took his other
recomendation, which was to add compost and deepen
with a pitchfork.  It took time, but it was easier
than double digging. We're also blessed with some
pretty nice soil.
Chris
--- "E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net> wrote:

> OK, so if I'm not going to double-dig, is there
> anything else of value in Jeavons' book?   I can't
> keep up with reading, either, but don't want to miss
> anything.
> 
> E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
> www.hillcountrynatives.biz
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Loren Davidson 
>   To: permaculture 
>   Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 9:26 PM
>   Subject: Re: [permaculture] Multiple digging
> without so much work.
> 
> 
>   At 9:50 PM -0400 5/30/06, Keith Johnson wrote:
>   >Jeavon's book entered my gardening library 31
> years ago. Ruth 
>   >Stout's mulch books were my first. I did them
> both....a lot.... and 
>   >now for the last 20 years I don't double dig, or
> even dig, if I can 
>   >avoid it.
> 
>   I'm with Keith on this.
> 
>   I've done my share of double-digging in the past.
> Somewhere along the 
>   line, I think I figured out why the Brits call
> this "bastard 
>   trenching." :)
> 
>   These days, unless I'm planting something like a
> tree or shrub, I 
>   don't dig. I try to follow the Pc principle of
> "letting Nature do the 
>   work.) For a quickie garden bed, I'll put down a
> layer of cardboard 
>   or newspaper, cover with several inches of
> compost, and just plant my 
>   seeds or transplants into the compost. I'll
> usually make a cut in the 
>   paper/cardboard below each plant. When I have time
> to plan ahead, 
>   I'll build a sheet mulch bed, let it rot for 3-6
> months, and then 
>   plant into that. I like Toby's sheet mulch recipe
> from _Gaia's 
>   Garden_; it really *is* bulletproof.
> 
>   If I'm planting into heavy clay, I usually fork
> into the soil before 
>   layering stuff on top of it, just to provide some
> starter holes for 
>   roots. I don't dig, I don't turn or lift the soil
> with the spading 
>   fork; I just wiggle it into the ground with my
> weight on it and pull 
>   it out again. Once I've done this, I let the plant
> roots and the 
>   worms and other detritivores start mixing my
> layers of stuff with the 
>   underlying soil.
> 
>   Now if only I had a no-dig solution for my shrubs
> and trees...
> 
>   Loren
>   -- 
>   Loren Davidson listmail@lorendavidson.com
>   Music with tropical attitude -
> http://www.lorendavidson.com
>   "There's just too much to see waiting in front of
> me, and I know
>   that I can't go wrong" - J. Buffett
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