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We are a small community of allotments which belong to the village (Wylam Allotment Association).

We don't have a water supply or electricity, there is a spring and we collect water on the plots.

We are surrounded/protected by mature trees and only about 40m to the banks of the beautiful river Tyne (we swim there when the risk of sewage overflow is low 🫣).

My plot is also just a few metres from the track where Puffing Billy first ran - now a path for people and bikes.

I have been no dig for 10 years. My email address is: jaynestanton03@gmail.com

I have enjoyed the no dig gardening this last year or so, it prevents my husband from having to drag out the tiller and struggle with it especially as we're aging, but my garden looks beautiful.

We covered it in compost last fall and and tarped the areas that would be planted during the fall and so I'm looking forward to a great summer harvest.

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Filler content

I share my allotment with my neighbour, she has about a quarter and I have the rest plus a polytunnel my wife bought me for my birthday last year.

I have Charles's book and calander which are very informative.

I got the allotment 2 years ago, it hadn't been used so it took some clearing but that was before I started watching your YouTube videos.

I've planted some Alderman peas, lettuce, onions from seed, first early potatoes, carrots, parsnips, peppers and I've garlic in the polytunnel as last year outside I lost all 70 ish of them.

Seedings coming on are 4 types of tomao, celery, coriander, parsley, sunflowers, more peas as back up. And starting today ,sweetcorn, spring onions, radish, more coriander and parsley.

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This is my second allotment, the first is also on the map - Hillside Allotments on Kenn Road.

it's about 60x20ft. As you can see from the photo, it needs a little work but it's a great opportunity to experiment with no dig. The good thing is that there appears to be no bind weed or mares' tail, perhaps it's too early to tell. So far, the plot has had a rough cut to reduce grass length and I'm now in the process of gathering cardboard (bike boxes from our local cycle shops, these when cut on one corner open out to cover 40sq. ft in one go) to cover the ground which will have the cut grass placed back over the top to help keep the cardboard in place.

Much of the plot for this year will be planted with pumpkins/squash to aid ground cover as a weed suppressant and produce green waste for compost or further ground cover through next autumn/winter, another patch will be experimented with by densely sowing white mustard as ground cover to also supress weed growth.

Hopefully, we may make enough progress over the weeks ahead to plant anything which we think may work in the space left available, our objective if is to bring the plot back to production within 12 months and to see if this can be achieved with as little expense if any as possible whilst limiting the amount of work needed at the same time, apart from seeds and plants which may be to hand.

The pupils of GBS De Pagaaier in Nieuwpoort have embarked on an innovative project by establishing a "No Dig" vegetable garden. This method, which enhances soil health by avoiding disturbance, is particularly suited to the clay soil typical of the Flemish polders.

The garden features a variety of plants carefully chosen by the students, including dahlias, potatoes, onions, peas, culinary herbs, carrots, wildflowers, radishes, and marigolds. Additionally, fruit trees and bushes such as apples, raspberries, and strawberries have been planted.

Plans are in place to cultivate maize, pumpkins, and beans together in the future, as the Maya’s did in the past. A notable contribution from the parent council is a polytunnel that will serve as an outdoor classroom, fostering a hands-on learning environment.

The students are enthusiastic about using this space to grow flowers for sale, aiming to make the garden self-sustaining. Surplus vegetables will also be sold in the school store, integrating practical business skills with agricultural education.

This initiative not only enriches the students' learning experience but also promotes sustainability and community engagement.

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I'm no dig, or as I like to call it "The Dowding Method" in my parents garden.

1 small greenhouse, 2 (roughly) 2x4 metre beds and a compost heap.

I plant the flower beds with plants for day and night pollinators.

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I have just retierd and have made a no dig allotment. I was given it in June 2023 and I worked on clearing the plot. Not knowing what the finished layout would be I just cleared it, sort of, flat and added a layer of wood chips all over. My thinking was the wood chip would be working for me suppressing weeds and conditioning the unused soil until I had a plan.

By that point, I had discovered Charles and realised no-dig is a thing. Greenhouse went up and I started laying out the frames, not raised beds, ready for spring this year 2024.

In September 2023, the frames and paths were ready. Down went a layer of card with more wood chip on the paths. A £30 load of horse manure, with free worms, was dropped off. The manure was spread 40 to 50mm in the frames to be left over the winter months to settle.

The beds are now ready to be tickled and planted. The photo is from April 2024 – the front bed is already planted with Charlotte 2nd early. The bed top left was planted with onions and garlic in October 2023 to overwinter. Today as per Charles’s calendar I am sowing sweetcorn in the greenhouse.

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I created an organic, no-dig veg and fruit patch in my garden in 2022 (still feel very much a beginner) and have followed Charles from the beginning. His book, sowing calendar and videos are hugely helpful.

I have 11 beds, a greenhouse, 3 pallet compost bays, plus a couple of terraces nearer the house, which I use for salad and herbs. Last month we created a wildlife pond to encourage frogs, to help control the many slugs we have.

2022, my first year, went pretty well but 2023 was much more difficult and I lost several crops, including all my tomatoes. I remain hopeful!

The photo shows the garden in mid-April 2024. The only things you can see growing outside are garlic, field beans, and raspberries, but lots of seedlings coming on in the greenhouse.

I am a doctor, and gardener ! in an old farm « les avenages »

I started permaculture with covid then no dig for six month with intensive fabrication of compost with complicity of friends sailors of vegetables.

Everything seems to have good start in the garden ( vegetables and flowers ).

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We have long waiting lists for vegetable gardens in the village whereI live. I was very happy I finally had the opportunity to pick one at a nearby garden association in October 2022.

The garden I picked was full of perennial flowering plants and neglected old apple trees, and was totally overgrown with brambles and bindweed. During my preparation for this garden I came across Charles’ video’s and website and immediately decided that No Dig was the way I wanted to maintain my garden.

I have made 8 no dig beds with wood chip on the paths in this 100m2 allotment. It has provided our family with loads of fresh fruits and vegetables right from the start already.

I learned a lot my first year and got lots to learn in the years to come. But It is really fantastic how easy it is to maintain a no dig garden and it’s a joy to look at and work in!

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My little plot is doing well, never bought any veg last year.

It can be difficult due to my crocked body, but it gives me immense pleasure.

My email address is for anyone wishing to get in touch is: carolprocter123@gmail.com

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My No dig garden in my own backyard is about 100 m2 for about 4 years now.

The difference between the starting point and right now is astonishing!

Before I started my Nodig garden it almost looked like a sandy desert with no soil life. After 4 years it is a garden with a healthy soil full of life, buzzing with insects and some very tasty veggies (almost) year round.

Every creature, from bacteria and funghi, worms and ground dwelling insects, frogs and toads to birds and even slugs, has a place in this little but wonderfull backyard No dig ecosystem!

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I have a no dig garden and a no dig allotment 3.6 miles away (completely different soils).

I've had my allotment since 2006, but halved it about 4 years ago. A peaceful haven.

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We have 2.5 acres, yet not all cultivated, we have around 3000 square feet now plus a 4 seasons passive growing dome (33 feet diameter - shown in the photo).

This is a family project with a community goal, work in progress.

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We structure our garden on organic, no-dig, Permaculture principles, recycling our rainwater and grey water through a reed bed.

Our home uses solar energy and wood for cooking, space and water heating and we generate solar electricity.

We grow and eat our own vegetables, fruit, eggs and honey.

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Our website link is www.ecodiy.org

I’ve been practicing no dig for six years now (I was doing it out of laziness before I realised what it was).

However I’ve been practicing it properly since being on my allotment in August 2021, and expanded to my second plot in March 2023.

More than happy for people to get in touch if they are local, my email is: lleu.no.dig@gmail.com

The photo shows my winter garden with just a few leeks, parsnips and walking onions left to harvest.

I have narrow beds and wide paths as i am in my eighties and need space to walk and vegetables easy to reach.

I have been gardening for many years and No Dig has produced my best results.

Thanks for all the information.

The Green Flower Foundation is supporting Bishoftu Polytechnic College (BPC) in providing training in organic farming practices to TVET students and local communities.

We are very much interested in the no-dig technique. The BPC garden is a demonstration site for students and we wish to explore different technologies in line with organic farming.

Photo to follow once we have started our no dig practice!

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My email address for anyone wishing to get in touch is adeline@greenflowerfoundation.org

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I am a gardener in northern California. I have spent the last couple years developing a no-dig/no-till vegetable garden in my backyard.

I have documented it on my instagram: aidens_gardening.

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As a follower of permaculture it's not far to no dig.

Clear a piece of land and put down cardboard and old wool carpets and cover them with homemade compost. Works a treat.

Now I not only gather flowers,fruits, nuts and herbs from my forest garden, but am growing vegetables that I sowed as seeds following Charles Dowding's advice very closely. xx

My email address is: Eileenak32@t-online.de

We started our no dig in a very small back garden near Heathrow Airport!

Inspired by the ease of No Dig and a longing for the countryside, we moved to Wales and bought an 8 acre small holding. We are developing our vegetable garden and have converted from grass, a poly tunnel, multiple outdoor beds and an orchard, all on about a third of an acre.

We have also planted over 2500 trees/hedging, mostly using a slit planting and no dig mulch method.

I have been operating  no dig for five years on my allotment. The plot size is about 90ft x 60ft so it is not a standard allotment size, the plot belongs to the local Baptist Church where I am a member. I have been running the allotment for around 16 years, to feed my own family and friends and to supply the local food bank with fresh veg when I can.

I have also tried to help my friends with gardens and allotments with no dig trials, with good results. I collect coffee grounds from a local garden centre to help with composting and recently found that the pile of grounds left on my allotment for a few months have been taken over by thousands of worms, who seem to enjoy the coffee. I am now trying to work out how to make a wormery using the coffee grounds, and waste food from our house.

I take in grass cuttings, prunings and household food remains from 5 other households/friends and I hope to be almost self sufficient in the next year or so (the cost of having a compost bin in Kettering is now £45 per year so I am saving just under £250 for my friends who receive donations of fresh veg in season).

The photo is from March 2024 – plantings are a bit sparse but most of the beds are ready for the new plantings. I have beetroot, lettuce, Brussels, peas ,onions, leeks and various flowers in the greenhouse growing well and should be out in the ground in a week or so. As I am retired I can spend most of my spare time at the allotment.

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I have been gardening for many years, establishing a new garden every time I move. The photo shows my latest vegetable garden, started in 2020, and the most successful. Compared to others, it was much easier to get going, and it is very easy to maintain. I have never had such a great abundance of produce, and enjoyed such good health of my plants.

I owe a great deal of gratitude to Charles Dowding for his generous spirit, incredible knowledge, and amazing website where I took one of his courses. Just when I thought I knew how to grow plants, I was introduced to a great deal of new, and well practiced, information. The No Dig method of gardening is all joy!

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We live in Canada in the Summers on a Smallholding near Stratford, Ontario - Zone 6a.

We have had great success with the no-dig method of growing! We grow Veg and fruit on about an acre which includes an Orchard with heirloom varieties of Apple and Pear Trees.

Our farm is organic and pesticide-free, and we grow primarily for ourselves,though when we have an excess, we then sell locally.

You can visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pottersburrowfarm

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From a rectangle of grass I have transformed my garden to a flower paradise.

I wish I had done it the No Dig way. Now the beds get a mulch of homemade compost most years.

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(My no dig allotment is also on the map.)

I have had Plot 470 at Rosendale Allotments, since 2012. Started off in the way I learned from my Dad by digging the whole thing.

Over the years I have changed how I look after it and in the last three years have been cultivating it the No Dig way!

Last year (2023) I had the best crops I have ever had with no deep cracks when the clay soil inevitably dries out.

Many other plot holders are now going No Dig.

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My garden is organic and no dig. We moved in two years ago and after extensive renovations inside, only just started to convert the garden last year with a cold greenhouse and a no dig veggie bed inside our family garden.

This year I am making two more no dig gardening beds 🎉 and I can’t wait to recreate the no dig set up I had at our previous house.

The photo shows the start up veggie beds (they’re only small raised ones, the big beds are not yet ready).

We started our no dig garden in 2022 (after a few failed attempts the 2 years previous because we didn’t follow no dig!)

We have a normal (rented) house in the suburbs with a generous garden area in which we created 6 full size beds and a couple of small patches here and there.

We also added 7 hens to our lot for the most amazing eggs and we practice electroculture!

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In 2023 we had the amazing opportunity to meet and interview Charles at Homeacres for Ximena’s YouTube channel!

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We are happy to be contacted on ximena@ximenadelaserna.com - we need to meet our 2 no dig neighbours on the map!

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My garden has been No Dig since the first lockdown. I did some of Charle's courses, Skills Growing and From Seed to Harvest.

I started with 4 original garden beds and now have 14 of various sizes. We've had very high winds all summer here in Wellington which has kept knocking the plants back. Very dry and temps in the high 20's.

I'm almost self sufficient in compost and my wormary is doing very well too.

My vision is impaired but I've found using the no dig method, there are generally less weeds unless I miss them, however, I now think of weeds as compost inputs.

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Blooming Green was founded by cousins Bek & Jen and has since grown into a happy team of staff and volunteers who, together, form the unique business that exists today. Established on an acre of ground that was once a Bramley orchard, the plot at LoddingtonFarm is still at the heart of the business. Organic, no-dig and what many people call their ‘happy place’… we love sharing our flower plot with others.

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For more information visit our website, follow us on social media or sign-up to our newsletter online

Blooming Green, Loddington Farm, Linton, Maidstone, Kent ME174AG

E: theshed@bloominggreenflowers.co.uk T: 01622 298676

www.bloominggreenflowers.co.uk

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Four Acre Farm is a Community Interest Company in Ringwood, Hampshire. We are setting up a weekly veg box scheme for local residents, selling in local shops and supplying restaurants.

We are caretakers of 4 acres of farmland and have already planted over 4 thousand trees to form a new native mixed species hedgerow,  130 fruit trees for a new orchard and sown wildflower seeds for the meadow and orchard to create permanent ground cover .

Our goal is to repair soil, create new & diverse habitat for thousands of species & provide chemical free food for the community. We want to show people how food can be grown locally with care and how they can be a part of the story.

Our methods grow alongside natural systems not against them. We are a No Dig farm and do not use any pesticides, herbicides , fungicides, artificial fertilisers or slug pellets!

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On 1.872 m2  we grow 60 variaties of vegetables and herbs. This no-dig garden is part of our regenerative farm, that started in 2018. The no-dig garden was added in 2023. In 2024 we deliver veggie-bags for 120 people and fresh eggs for 200 people. We also have a small food forest, an orchard and peat meadow, with some turkeys and sheep. Chickens play an important role in our garden. They clear new garden beds, and ‘rake’ the beds in between crops in chicken tractors.  We have a small polytunnel, where we grow all our plantings from seed, after the chickens cleared it during winter. Their compost provides extra warmth.

In the market garden, the first meter of each bed is reserved for flowers/herbs/perennials, we have a wildlife pond and we started planting hedgerows. We see no-dig gardening as a way of creating synergies between nature and farming: nature can prosper while we produce healthy food for the local community. And during that we can regenerate ecosystems! We are very passionate about that and share our knowledge and experience in our courses, workshops, lectures and via consultancy.  

Name: Natuurboerderij KipEigen | Eva Vos & Ellen Bosgoed

Location: The Netherlands, Loosdrecht (Nieuw-Loosdrechtsedijk 24, 1231 KX)

www.kipeigen.nl

Instagram: @kip.eigen

Facebook: KipEigen

info@kipeigen.nl

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My market garden is called Round The Field.

It’s a family run no-dig market garden in organic conversion supplying West Berkshire.

The website is www.roundthefield.co.uk

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I am interested in no dig farming technique.

My garden is at Basecamp Explorer hotel, Maasai Mara, Kenya.

I do farming and I asking you to connect me with other no dig farmers in Kenya or Africa.

My email address is: rlubelei@gmail.com

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I have a no-dig, half plot at Muswell Hill Golf Course allotments in one of the greener parts of north London.

It’s a tiny space compared to the kitchen garden at Chiswick House that I used to manage – but it still provides plenty of delicious, organic produce for my family to enjoy.

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A little about my garden and journey to create Joy Acres.
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When I was about 12 years old, my family had moved into a new farm and my dad decided to bring the old veggie patch back to life which sparked my interest in growing food immediately. I have never lost this love and have been honing my skills as an adult for the last ten years.

A few years ago I stumbled upon Charles’ videos and started employing a number of his techniques: multi sowing, fleece covers, moving away from wood sided beds. These techniques helped me gain some advantages in a perpetual battle against slugs in the soggy Pacific Northwest Climate of Vancouver Island. I was hooked!
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I am fascinated by soil. I am honing my composting skills as I would like to be more regenerative in that regard. I have the great fortune of having a large piece of land in the city and I have converted all of my gardening approaches to adopt the No Dig approach.

Of course, I love growing fresh vegetables. More than anything though, I do it for the joy. I do it because being in the garden, working hard, moving, tending to plants and snacking on veggies is my happy place. I am meant to be a farmer and Joy Acres truly is a dream come true. I

I am happy to connect with other gardeners in my area. My email address is: elizabethmturner1@gmail.com

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I am 42 years old, never gardened in my life until last year when I began killing seedlings. This year I have gotten much better, thank God. Bought LED lights and your sowing calendar, yay!

I am the happy owner of a weekend getaway in Petrovaselo village, Timiș county of România. So I visit my future garden only 3-4 days a month. For now!

I am so grateful and inspired by Mr. Charles' work and your entire team. I want to do my part and help make no dig popular in my little part of the world.

My email address is alexandra.cretu@ymail.com

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After quitting my profession as a full-time chef in 2020 I pursued a career in horticulture.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to create a kitchen garden from scratch in a field next to the hotel to grow food for the kitchen. I knew very little at the time but after watching just a few of Charles’s YouTube videos I knew how I was going to go about it and he has been an inspiration ever since.

I am now growing a large variety of fruit, veg and cut flowers using organic no-dig methods on nearly 1/3 of an acre that go directly to the hotel and chefs within minutes of being picked.

Homewood kitchen garden

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I began my no dig journey about seven years ago after attending one of Charles’s courses. I have six 3x2m raised beds for veg, a 7x5m fruit cage and a greenhouse which incorporates an open bed for winter leaves and tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines in summer.

I work the veg beds pretty hard and try to add 5cm of a manure based mulch once or twice a year. I’m fully organic using just nematodes and netting for crop protection. I make my own compost, but use this on other areas of the garden as it doesn’t get hot enough to kill weed seeds and I don’t have the time or inclination to eliminate these from the heap!

As I’m not far from Homeacres, the climate is similar though with slightly cooler days as we’re 600ft up in the Blackdown hills.

No dig is a revelation in terms of cropping reliability, yields and labour saving. I have eliminated most perennial weeds and it’s relatively easy to keep on top of annual weeds. Spring is the fallowest period and I cover bare areas with cardboard to suppress weed growth.

This all sounds terribly earnest, but no dig has made gardening much more fun and rewarding!

Photos of no dig veg plot in March 2024 (not looking at its best!)

I’m an avid follower of Charles.  This is my 5th year gardening using the No Dig practices. In addition to the videos, I purchased Charles’s Diary.  I’ve learned so much and have never enjoyed gardening more!

My site consists of ledge and sand and is wooded - extremely thin soil.  I began 4 years ago by chopping down the small trees & brush and using Charles’s method of covering with plastic for about 6 months.  As you know, it’s truly amazing how much can be grown using the no dig method even in poor soil with only about 7 hrs of sunlight around the summer solstice.  

I'm continually amazed at how few weeds there are and the strong growth of the plants.  I grow most all of the veg we eat.  I’m now working on having more veg stored during the off season and saving more seeds.  

Like Charles I continually do trials for different things and this past year was to have some salad greens over winter outside with no covering or protection.  To my amazement they survived, even through 12"-15" of snow!  Our weather is traditionally zone 6a but I tracked temperature this winter and we're now tracking more like zone 8a!  .....global warming.....

A tip for folks around the northeast US - I use 'Bumper Crop' organic compost to start my seeds.  It's advertised as a soil amendment and not for seed starting but it works great - strong root and plant growth.  As Charles mentions in his videos, good seed starting compost is not inexpensive but it works really well.  

The photo shows the garden in June 2023.

My email is: gaudettejoe52@gmail.com

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I have been using the no dig method for about 12-13 years with excellent results. It is also a lot easier now that I am 80!  

I usually get selected as in the top 10 of allotments on our site and even Commended or Highly Commended from all the allotments in Loughton, Essex.  

The allotment is on a steep hill and is the second oldest allotment site in continuous cultivation since 1813!

I put the black landscape fabric down so I can use my kneeler.

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My market garden is called Round The Field, www.roundthefield.co.uk

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‍We started out in 2019 and worm composting now makes up the bulk of our business leaving us producing on about 1/4 acre for restaurants and subscribers.

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I have been practicing no dig for 4 years and have experienced a tremendous improvement in the soil.

The only purchased inputs I have used are compost and vermicompost, as I cannot make enough compost for  my whole yard.  

The growing season (without covers) is April 1- Oct 31. I also do some winter gardening using cold frame covers on the raised beds.

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The picture is from last spring.

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My garden is a domestic new build (2021) with flower / social areas and a veg area which is mainly raised beds due to sub soil and huge trees draining the subsoil.  All no dig (never been dug).

The photo is from 18 months ago. We did a local village open gardens in May 2023 and people were genuinely shocked at how quickly we were establishing a garden using no dig.

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I've just transitioned to no dig on my allotment in Leeds after many years of digging and lots of weeding. I still have a few more beds to make but the majority has been completed over this winter.

The allotment is leased from the council but run by it's members so we self manage the site. There is around 150 plots in total, a mixture of full and half sized plots.

My Instagram page @what_the_largents_grow

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I’ve followed Charles for the last 4 years and thanks to his amazing videos I’ve been able to create a thriving no dig allotment!

I’ve managed to make it to Charles’ garden and hope to come back again 😊

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I’ve had my allotment since spring 2021. It’s around 78m2 with 4 long beds, a pumpkin patch and a small pond home to lots of frogs.

Being no dig has helped immensely with the heavy clay soil we have. I’ve had really successful harvests growing in a more naturalistic way, encouraging insects, songbirds and fungi.

I’m excited to companion plant with more flowers this year to fill mine and my friends’ vases as well as plates!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sameatshamx/

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My no dig garden is situated in Markovo, Bulgaria, near the second largest city Plovdiv. The garden is quite new - this will be the second whole season.

I have named it “The healthy land”. It is about 150sqm kitchen garden in a suburban area.

I have no previous experience in gardening, but since I started it, I found my true passion. And thanks to the videos, you share on Youtube, i have learned a lot and implemented the method from the very beginning. And I am truly thankful for all the knowledge and inspiration Mr. Dowding shares with us all!

M contact info - yordanka.mancheva@gmail.com also on instagram - @thehealthyland

Below, i am sending also few pictures of the garden.

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I tried the nodig system last year for the first time and at 85 years old it makes veg gardening much easier!

The Caritas Lalley Community Allotment is a peaceful space for growing food and flowers and enjoying nature in Collyhurst.

We switched to organic, no dig methods in 2022 and have been really enjoying the benefits of healthier soil and great harvests with less work ever since!

The allotment is run by charity Caritas Salford, which supports people experiencing poverty across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Produce is shared with local people through our food pantry service.

We welcome everyone to visit or volunteer, whether you're an experienced gardener or just want to get outside more.

If you'd like to visit, contact @lalleycentre@caritassalford.org.uk, or if you're interested in volunteering, contact volunteering@caritassalford.org.uk or sign up directly here www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer.

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I'd be happy for neighbours to get in touch by emailing lalleycentre@caritassalford.org.uk.

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Having started a small no dig garden in 2020 - I was a complete convert.

When we moved to our forever home a few years later I knew that no dig was the only option.

I used cardboard and spent mushroom compost to create my no dig kitchen garden.

The land had been farmed/plowed for many years and no dig has brought everything back to life.

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Lonk to our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by_the_willows?igsh=MWhycDB3MzRhdHdiMg==

I’m Ludovico Gui, the gardener of SanBrite restaurant in Cortina d’ampezzo, Italy.

The San Brite restaurant is located in Cortina d'Ampezzo (BL), Italy. Awarded with one Michelin star and one green star of sustainability, it promotes the concept of regeneration both in its dishes and in the production of its raw materials.

Precisely for this reason the vegetable garden is based on the no dig principle, in order to offer fresh and organic vegetables grown with respect for the soil and the environment.

We're big no dig fans!

Our garden is called grond|vorm, a garden, design and landscape laboratory founded in 2022 by LMNL office [for architecture and landscape].

It is located on the edge of the nature reserve Kampina in Oisterwijk.

We love growing our own food and we had no need for the old sandy horse paddock so we decided to convert it into our vegetable garden.

Using the no dig method we started out with a simple grid of beds 1,2x4m (perfect size according to us) with paths of 80cm between. In total we have 200m2 of vegetable beds plus 50m2 for cut flowers. On approximately 2 hectares (5 acres) we are creating a large naturalistic garden, wildflower meadow, forest grove, and orchard - among other things.

It's an experiment for us as landscape architects and architects. We're happy to open our garden to visitors.

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Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grondvorm/

Our website: https://liminaloffice.com/projects/grond-vorm-landscape-lab

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Rising Herb Farm is a quaint herb farm, native plant nursery, and farmer's market vendor located in the hills and hollers of western Indiana, USA.

We've been No Dig since 2020!

www.facebook.com/risingherbs

Risingherbfarm.etsy.com

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The Azusa Pacific University Community Garden is a collaborative campus food garden with a 5000 square foot no dig “home vegetable garden” on campus plus perennial herbs, strawberries, cane berries, and fruit trees scattered around campus.

The garden is tended by student, faculty, and staff volunteers, and all of the produce is free for students to pick.

We also work with the City of Azusa to offer beginning food gardening workshops and youth gardening club to the surrounding community.

We’re currently working on two research projects: evaluating non-insecticidal strategies for managing aphids in brassicas in the home and community garden and developing a salsa pepper that is well-suited to our microclimate and doesn’t require supplemental shade in the late summer.  

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Everything because of Charles Dowding! I'm 21 and I've been practicing no dig for 4 years.

Two years ago, I started selling my vegetables seasonally and this is a proper dream!

Now we have around 600 square meters of no dig beds with 200 square meters under the cover.

Everything is on a slope facing south, surrounded by forests and meadows.

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My email: farmaprymula@gmail.com

Also my Instagram:  @farma_prymula

https://www.instagram.com/farma_prymula?igsh=MWJrODdheGc3YnZxYg==

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Our allotment site is quite a small space given by a local organic farmer and there are 7 of us with plots of various sizes.  

We have to be organic and most of us use "no dig".

It is a beautiful site with views to the South and a row of beech trees to protect us from the North, though the wind can whip in from the West.

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I have known about no dig for a few years now but have only managed to get started properly recently.

I prepared my small plot in December, placing cardboard then covering with store bought peat-free compost.

I have had to make an addition of a net cage as the local gang of jackdaws find it amusing to pull out my seedlings.

I also have a small willow tree in my plot! I couldn't think of anywhere to transplant it to, so decided it could stay and get surrounded by veg. 😁

I have Charles' calendar and follow the planting guides to help me get timings right. I also find his YouTube videos really helpful.

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I am 72 and have been working a no dig allotment for six years.  It's on the Western Avenue site Hillingdon UB109QE. I call it Freezelandia.

It's very open and exposed and wet. It's a  large plot, now well established, developed from what was a grass covered unused mid position site, infested with wireworm.

A lot of work and cost to setup in 2018 but now easily tended and productive.

It's a free site to over 65's supported by the Hillingdon Borough Council Green Spaces Team. The team supply water, good perimeter fencing and a composting toilet on site. I believe there are empty or unused plots available. You can see two unworked plots  either side of mine.

There are about 60 plots each about 90 sq mtrs running North to South.

I have a fledging no dig garden of 2 years. The focus of the garden is to be as productive as possible whilst encouraging as much wildlife as possible. This year I intend to build a pond.

I have 8 mildly raised beds, two sheds, a small greenhouse and a lot of enthusiasm. Last year I managed just 33kg worth of fruit and veg despite having a very challenging year having converted to peat-free compost. As you can see, the beds are within my modest garden, however, I have applied for an allotment.

I am not yet fully applying biodynamic principles although I am now fully organic and peat-free.

My ‘discovery’ of horticulture, organic and no dig gardening and veg growing has really changed my life. I have moved from a 50 hour week to a 19 hour week so that I am able to pursue my interests in horticulture. This is in no small part to due to the enthusiasm and inspiration given to me by Charles via his videos, books and podcast interviews.

We bought the old farmhouse with five hectares of land in 2020 in order to 'liberate' the conventional farmland from chemicals and tilling and plant lots of trees. Our full-time jobs put a limit on the amount of development we can do, but so far we have managed to plant about 2700 trees (shelterbelt natives, fruit and nuts) and start the no-dog kitchen garden.

The land is North-East facing, exposed to the powerful local winds and very wet in winter - a creative challenge - and we enjoy watching the many different birds of prey feasting on the, ahem, healthy vole population.

One of our hobbies is growing 'Darwin apples' from seed (regular apples, but there is no way of knowing how they will turn out).

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I have been gardening organically since my days at Warren Wilson college in Swannanoa, NC, starting in 1983.

Last year was the first time I tried no dig. It makes so much sense, I'm hooked! I really enjoy the videos Charles puts out.

We started no dig in the autumn of 2022 so last year was our first full year with no dig.

Better quality produce and more of it. Best of all about 5% weeds. Fantastic.

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This is our 3rd garden where we have been practising No Dig, having 1st experimented with the system back in the 80s after being inspired by Charles on Gardeners World.

All our dwellings here in south Cornwall came with challenges, mainly the lack of soil & this, our current home, despite being almost an acre of woodland, is no different.

After half a decade of considerable work we eventually concluded that trees are hungrier than us & began growing our plants in old fish boxes using the same idea of no dig, minimal disturbance & dressing the soil with home grown compost.

However, we have had a surprisingly fruitful orchard, which we planted using the No Dig method.

This is our 13th year here & although challenges still arise, No Dig is most definitely the way to go.

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I moved here to Southwest Donegal in September 2021 after living in Southeast England.

I came across Charles in 2015 and attended one of his Homeacres open days a few years later and have been gardening No Dig ever since.

I have 5 No Dig beds measuring 5 feet wide by 25 feet long on a very slight slope all running North to South.

My Polytunnel is 14 feet wide by 20 feet long containing 3 beds also on the same orientation as the garden beds.

I make my own compost in 3 bays measuring 6 feet by 5 feet which I fill from my half acre plot however I do need to buy in potting compost. Wood chipping, cow and horse manure are readily available in my area.

What I can’t eat I give away to neighbours and friends and hope that in time I can sell it locally.

As a keen, although not always active gardener, I put my name on my local Council's waiting list for an allotment thinking I might get one in time for my retirement. Much to my surprise, I acquired my plot on the outskirts of South London on 20th May 2022, just over 6 months later.

The allotment is 50sq m, is a 5 minute walk from my home and with my husband's generous support and much to our surprise has supplied most of our vegetable needs for most of the year.  

We are so pleased with our efforts we have taken on the neighbouring plot which is heavily overgrown with brambles, bindweed and couch grass in the hope of growing  our own fruit. I have every confidence of what we can achieve with no dig.  

The photo shows our original plot i summer 2023, all achieved with no dig of course.  

I am in my first season of no dig, took on an allotment at the end of summer last year, 2023, which was basically a 6 foot high bramble patch. So even though there has had to be soil disturbance to get out bramble roots,  the soil has not been turned over and I am employing the card, manure, seaweed plus wood chip for paths...all free and very plentiful resources here.

I know there are a few of us who are doing no dig in the allotments and no doubt in the wider community too, for such a small island (3 miles by 1.5 miles and approx 2000 residents) it is great to see. We even have a CSA market gardener who is following no dig/minimal disturbance and running a successful veg box scheme.

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I came to one of Charles courses maybe 15 years ago and being a horticulturist I was immediately sold on his no dig method.

At home I built 6 raised beds and have added compost ever since

I was a commercial fruit grower and Charles mentioned me in one of his books after we talked about apple growing.

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I'd like to add my farm to your no-dig world map. It's called Yellow Belly Farm and located in Midleton, Co.Cork, Ireland.

I've been building my no-dig organic farm on 3 acres since 2022 having been first inspired by Charles in 2019. ]

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See a little more about my journey here. I'm also active on instagram and youtube.

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I am now practicing full no-dig at my allotment.

Charles has changed my life!

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My email address is: billthicknes@outlook.com

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My no dig garden is in a rental property using cardboard and spent mushroom compost.

I have laid my veg patch straight on top of the grass - it is getting widened this year.

https://www.instagram.com/amys_allotment_adventure/

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I live in Kotagiri which is a small town at 6000 feet above mean sea level in the Nilgiris mountains in South India - a global biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats. The winter temperature is min5 to max20 C, and the maximum we've recorded in summer was 29 C. Our climate is actually temperate within a tropical country, which is why this region has historically grown what is known as "English vegetables" (cauliflower, brussels sprouts etc) not native to these part because of the climate that resembles that of Somerset. We get two monsoons a year (June-Sept) and (Oct-dec) but now with climate change we've seen very heavy rains for longer spells, and higher temperatures in the summer than ever before. Also the Nilgiris was the British summer capital during the colonial period. You can read more about how the native landscape was altered by the British during the colonial period in my article here: Big Green Lies

The native forests and grasslands were replaced with non-native exotic and invasive trees and shrubs like eucalyptus, black wattle, and lantana, and  tea plantations dominate the landscape. Today agriculture here is pesticide and chemical intensive.

My nodig fruit and vegetable garden sits on 0.34 acres, and the nodig forest of 55 native trees and 80 shrubs and grasses is on 0.30 acres. I heard about Charles and the nodig method from a friend of mine doing nodig in Spain. I began my nodig vegetable garden in August 2021 and it's been bountiful, effortless harvests ever since. I grow about 25 nodig vegetables (tomato (different varieties mainly cherry), onions, leeks, potato, radish, carrot, beetroots, kohl rabi, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale (2 types), beans, celery, spinach, cucumber, brinjal/eggplant, corn, pak choy, tatsoi, lollo biondo, romano, butterhead lettuce, iceberg, rocket and about 7 herbs. Some obvious ones like garlic and pumpkin - i am only starting this year. Planning on a trial of aspagarus and artichokes!. Indian native vegetables like gourds are tougher to grow in the colder climate but it is warming up year on year.

Fruit trees - peach, apricot, mandarin orange, avocado, apple (3-4 yr old trees). lime, pomelo, guava are older fruit giving trees.  

My main issue is with the invasive kikuyu grass and eradicating it has been my mission! Heavy mulching has been the only way but I think I've shown that it can be done on a small scale without pesticides.

A bit of background about me: I was a qualitative social researcher in London from 2002-2008. Returned to India in 2009 and worked with non-profits in public health and education. I moved to the Nilgiris in 2017 and I continue to support non-profits through writing grants to support their causes (ecology, climate change, animal welfare, healthcare)

Charles has been a real inspiration to me - a true guru.

The concept of building soil health with effortless harvests tied all my passions together. Just when I was getting fearful about starting vegetables, a friend from London who has a nodig garden in Spain, introduced me to the concept and the youtube channel. The youtube channel is an incredible resource.

I recently did a nodig workshop and demonstration at the Nilgiris Earth Festival and it was very well received. I have had requests to help people set up their nodig gardens.

We really hope to get Charles to the Nilgiris one day!

My instagram page where I am documenting my nodig and rewilding journey: https://www.instagram.com/gayatriganesh7?igsh=MTNteGYyMnIwZTNoNw==

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I use no dig gardening in both our garden beds and food forests.

I also like Charles's simple, no fuss gardening advice. We promoted no dig gardening to all our participants on this year's Northland Edible Garden Trail    https://www.northlandediblegardentrail.org.nz/home

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We have been growing using the No Dig method for 4 years now, with lots of successes and some failures.

We are doing this at our son and Daughter-in-law’s farm, but as we live in Surrey, we cannot get over there as often as we would like, once a week at most.

We raise the seedlings mainly at our home in modules, and transplant them when they are ready.

As they have sheep on the farm, we use spent sheep manure from the lambing shed for compost, and we make more from the grass clippings, veggie foliage and kitchen waste in dalek composters. One of our jobs this year is to make bigger compost bins from pallets.

The photo shows some of last year’s harvests.

Since going on one of Charles’ learning days in 2021, we have been hooked on no dig, and the results, on heavy Essex clay, have been very good. One problem has been that the parsnips grow so big that it’s difficult to dig them out of the clay which they grow down into!

We’ve been growing vegetables in our own garden here in Surrey for 50 years, but the results are so disappointing now, by comparison with my son’s veg plot, that we are gradually cutting down what we grow at home.

We have a productive and old asparagus bed, and we grow our salad greens at home, and that’s about all we will grow here now, when we can get so much better results on Essex soil.

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Connor's Garden

Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada

My name is Connor Rowe and I have been full-time market gardening since 2019.

My family owns 50 acres of land in Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada. Approximately half the land is forest and the other half is hay fields that we have let naturalize since we bought the property. The hay fields are flat and easy to work with when starting no-till market gardens from scratch, using tarps to kill turf and weeds via light deprivation. Then, simply adding a generous mulch of rich compost to make a healthy garden. My goal is to protect the environment, produce food that will come from a place of rich biodiversity, and ultimately keep people healthy. No-till/no-dig is essential for this.

I have two gardens that I manage on the property with the help from my long time friend and now assistant grower, Barb. The two gardens, despite being relatively close together, offer different challenges when it comes to maintenance, weeds, and pests. The garden closest to my house, which I call 'the small garden', is easier to provide water to as it is next to our pond and also well water connection. The big garden needs water taken to it via a tank on a trailer or ATV. The small garden is more difficult to maintain weed free as field horsetail, a nearly impossible to manage perennial weed, creeps in from the edges of the garden. No-till gardening is essential for controlling weeds but perennial weeds can still be difficult to deal with, especially at the borders of the garden. Ironically, field horsetail doesn't seem to grow in the hay fields, making for a more manageable garden in that respect. The pests the two gardens deal with can also vary, mainly when it comes to deer and rabbits. Our native cottontail rabbits prefer the habitat of shrubs close to the small garden where they have plenty of cover to run to if their vegetable garden meal is interrupted. The hay field has no cover for them and so they're not a problem there. The deer however, don't mind the open and are keen on beet tops, but they don't come close to the house and so have never been a problem in the small garden.

The small garden is often the central hub of activity. It's where my four compost bins are as well as the chicken run and coop that I too use to make compost. The chickens has access to the compost bins which makes for top quality compost as the birds add fertility with their manure and help to turn the compost as they scratch around. The scraps from the garden supplement their diet, saving on feed costs and resulting in happier and healthier birds. Plant and animal life is deeply connected in nature and I believe it is important to replicate this in the garden as much as possible.

The small garden has a few other notable and interesting features. Two polycarbonate greenhouses that act as a nursery, season extender and a place to grow especially heat loving plants like cucumber, peppers and eggplant. Also, every other 100' long beds have a trellis system in place with cedar posts spaced 10' apart. Each post has a dwarf rootstock apple tree. There are eight apple varieties and over fifty trees in the garden. 2024 was the first apple harvest and hopefully there will be many more to come.

The total size of the combined market gardens is under one acre but the overall size is growing each year. The plan is to have the total size at over one acre in the coming years. Follow along if you want to know more!

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Myy email address isconnorsgarden@outlook.com and my instagram @connorsgarden_, and Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067837640789

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The photo shows my no dig allotment in Batcombe, Somerset.

I was inspired by Charles to start no dig growing for both health and a fascination for nature. I am coming into my second year now on this 300m2 plot and have been amazed by my results so far.

I currently grow a range of outdoor vegetables, with a recent addition of a 12ft x 20ft polytunnel which I plan to use for seed saving and indoor vegetables.

I have started to incorporate ornamental flowers for biodiversity and I’m fascinated by compost making with some good results in my first year.

My instagram is @kane.haggett if anyone wishes to get in touch!

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I started no-dig in my back garden (we generally say “yard” in the US) during COVID lockdown.

The first year it was a plot 12 x 15 feet. We had compost/dirt/manure combination delivered and wheelbarrowed it over to our cardboard covered plot. It was approximately 12 inches deep with soil.

I planted tomatoes and flowers (zinnia, cosmos and echinacea) the first year.

The second year I added 2 more plots. One is 10 x 15, and a smaller one 6 x 4 feet. Same cardboard and soil combo.

Planted melons, butternut squash and Brussel sprouts, along with the mandatory tomatoes.

Found it is too hot here in SC for Brussel sprouts, just about right for the melons and holy cow the squash went crazy. Some squash vines were 40 feet long. We still have barrels of squash left, after giving away as much as possible and making tons of squash soup.

The calendar I received for Christmas has been illuminating. Love the YouTube videos. Thank you.

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My garden has been No Dig since the first lockdown. I did some of Charle's courses, Skills Growing and From Seed to Harvest.

I started with 4 original garden beds and now have 14 of various sizes.

We've had very high winds all summer here in Wellington which has kept knocking the plants back. Very dry and temps in the high 20's.

I'm almost self sufficient in compost and my wormary is doing very well too.

My vision is impaired but I've found using the no dig method, there are generally less weeds unless I miss them, however, I now think of weeds as compost inputs.

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Absolutely LOVE Charles Dowding and his magical ways!

The photo is of my greenhouse and garden. This was all put in last year, so it’s not much to look at just yet. But my sons gave me the greenhouse for my Mother’s Day gift and the season was short, but plentiful! I had enough for 6 households!

I’m in central Maine, northern New England, zone 5. I’ve been gardening for many years and then found Charles and it changed everything for me!

The plan is to expand this year. As a side note, I also run my tarot reading business, Olde Thyme Tarot, out of my greenhouse so that people have the benefit of grounding holistically.

This year will be the first year full season, selling herbs, veggies and flowers along with items in my Apothecary Shop located within the greenhouse.

We have events in the garden, like last year’s Witches Night in October. A fun and exciting way to celebrate the end of the growing season and giving people a chance to enjoy the gardens and greenhouse at the same time.

My website is www.OldeThymeTarot.com.

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I follow Mr No Dig, have 6 x 4 ft compost bins, which neighbours contribute to.

Only leeks and Brussels in bed this time of year, all else in store.

Photo shows my polytunnel with useful crops for winter although garlic remains till June!

I have just started my No dig vegetable garden in my back yard! I am so excited!                    

I do the gardens at The Farmhouse at Redcoats which is a hotel and wedding venue.

We started a No Dig kitchen garden last year to supply the restaurant and weddings with home grown produce.

With a late start last year we managed to get quite a bit of produce, even hosting a home grown supper club which was a 5 course meal using nearly only homegrown veg.

We are excited to see what we can do this year.

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The pioneer of No Dig, Charles lives at his farm in Homeacres Somerset.

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I have been following Mr. Dowding for about 5 years. I am a Master Gardner and am trying to spread the word about no dig in Texas USA!

Thanks to all your videos and no dig book I received a few years ago as a Christmas present, I am all in.

About three years ago I dug up all of the shrubs in front of my house, laid down cardboard topped with about 6" of compost. Then I started planting roses and perennials.

Also started no dig in my vegetable garden and have had excellent results!

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I am based in Lancashire, Goosefoot Woodcraft and Permaculture.

I have been doing no dig since i started veg growing a few years back. I have just under 3 acres, most of the land is for my ponies, but I have an area for my polytunnel and veg and herb growing. I manage the land as sustainably as possible. The hedges are not cut, certain areas I am laying the old hawthorns. I planted 150 trees 13 years ago and I am on with coppicing and using the wood for various projects. I have a lot of horse muck which I bag up and leave at the gate, I also deliver. I use Miscanthus as a horse bedding this rots down really quickly.

I am retired, but have had to return to part time work. I manage on my own but am looking for likeminded people to share the growing. I have workshops planned for this summer to hopefully bring in some income.

I have been following Charles for years maybe from when I did my Permaculture course a while back. The no dig was a life saver for me, I'm learning all the time, I hope this year to be more organised with my succession planting and planning!

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Charles Dowding videos and books made me a much better gardener.  

I stopped tilling 7 years ago and sold my rototiller 4 years ago.  My garden has gotten better and better since I stopped tilling.  

Thank you for all the information you have provided over the years.  

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My email is johnsheritagegarden@gmail.com

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The photo is after applying leaves covered with compost in November.

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I transitioned to no dig in 2019 after 30 years of conventional vegetable growing. I have noticed a significant improvement in plant growth and resilience over the last 4 years.

At the time of writing (Feb) my fellow gardeners are all straining their backs and wiping their brows cultivating their weedy plots.  No such excursions for me as I look upon my beautiful weed free composted beds.  

My major issue has been horsetail which I have been ruthlessly removing as soon as it appears. The battle is not yet over, however the horsetail's vigour is significantly reduced.  This is a fight that I'm confident I shall win.  I have grass paths separating me from neighbouring plots which are mown regularly. This prevents ingress from other plots.

Top Tips:

Hand weed regularly.

Become passionate about compost making (its good fun).

Buy lots of fleece and fine netting.

Grow all plants (except parsnips and carrots) in module trays, then plant out

Give plants enough room to grow.

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I have been a a follower of Charles' vids and books for 4 years now and the word abundance now means something not sure where i am heading but each year seems to spawn a new bed 🙂.

My own roots (and if a velta is no dig?) go back 1000 years as originally a Faroe Islander in a small village called Sydrugota, my dad taught me what in English is called I think lazy bed, this name put me off.  

( Velta ) the practice is very much still alive in Faroe today, but it took Charles’s enthusiasm, books and videos to help me rediscover the pleasure of natural cultivation crofting  🙂  

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We have a small plot of land in a village called Herrenkohlern in South Tyrol (Italy) very close to Bolzano (capital of South Tyrol) where we have started a vegetable garden according to the No Dig approach.

Cropwell Community Garden is a no dig and agroecological community garden project.

Located on a piece of land once called 'the dumping ground', the plot was extremely overgrown whilst also covered in scrap and other waste.

Using no-dig and agroecological principles we have been able to build biodiversity, soil health, and community. We grow without the use of synthetic fertilisers and damaging agricultural chemicals. Increasing soil fertility through no-dig and organic amendments helps us grow nutrient dense produce and a healthy garden!

One of our aims is to integrate as many closed loop systems as we can, such as making our own plant feeds, rainwater harvesting, and different composting methods. We also work to maintain open pollinated seed and crop diversity, recognising this as a fundamental for biodiverse ecosystems and food sovereignty.

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Xanthea Heynes
Founder and Director

WEBSITE: https://cropwellcommunitygarden.cargo.site/

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Seven No Dig demonstration beds at the site.

Workshops and weekly sessions are held at the garden.

Any surplus produce is shared with a local Independent Food bank.

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Greenfields: School & Community Garden

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We have a bungalow with a small back garden of about 80 sq metres. It is divided into beds which are all No Dig.

It is almost exclusively used for growing over 100 different edible plants including some fruit trees.

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I found No dig´s technique and Charles´s channel through Wini Walbaum, who I started following both during the lockdown.

I have my edible garden at home, it comes and goes. It is not so productive right now, but I persue giving it more time for cultivating more vegetables, flowers, and fruits.  I started a small allotment with no dig´s technique, a few weeks ago.

In April, I will start at home a project of arts, free play, edible garden and nature for kids. It is called  Muca Palaposa and you could check it out on instagram as @mucapalaposa.juego

I will be uploading the progress.

I share that it is deeply important for kids and adults to care for nature, to be in contact, play with it, to expand our creativity, imagination and free play. It makes us more present, connected, loving and caring as a whole. And I believe is what we need, to go to our roots.

In the near future, I have the intention to make a gardening club with the allotment more settled. In the meantime, gardening  will be a part of the workshop, but not as the main focus who guides all.

I leave a text of the project:

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Muca Palaposa is a garden art studio for kids, to free play, to make art crafts, to animate, to cultivate vegetables and flowers, and to explore and care for nature. We created this space to expand and free children's creativity and curiosity. We are located at Hurlingham, Buenos Aires in Argentina. You can follow us on instagram @mucapalaposa.juego.  We will start in April 2024.

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I will send add a photo in the near future, when I have everything more settled.

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I was fortunate late 2022 to borrow a piece of land which used to be a vegetable patch some 30 years ago, turned into pasture, and neglected for the last decade.

As I’m commuting to work from Stavanger to Oslo on a weekly basis, the development takes time. And the plot has to be able to look after itself for days or weeks.

The last beds will be made this spring.  

No dig is fantastic in this respect.

The local farmers was sceptic and are now amazed by the productivity, as are passers-by.  The ambition is to develop the plot further into a very local community market garden.

I start in my greenhouse in town, transported in the back of the car :-)

In the neighborhood we have a tiny summer house.

And here I’ve run my no dig kitchen garden for 15 years, gradually expanding towards forest garden, including flowers for bouquets as spring presents.

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I got my allotment back in October of last year - the soil is super heavy clay and I stumbled on Charles’ videos.

I knew about No-Dig but he made it so simple to follow.

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My allotment is based in Nailsea, North Somerset on the Whitesfield Road allotment site.

It is a small (43 sq.m) plot on which I'm intending to have 10 no-dig beds 1.2m x 2m. Currently I've laid out the first 5 beds.

- Bed 1 is planted with shallots and garlic

- Bed 2 is planted with onions

- Bed 3 will be sown with spring onions interplanted with carrots.

Brassicas and tomatoes to follow

I am growing veg for self-sufficiency and I'm spending the weekend at Homeacres in April to learn everything I can from Charles!

You can follow my journey via Instagram @plotw7e

My email address is: svejk1969@aol.com

The Woldtuin is a No-Dig CSA farm with 2500m² of No-Dig vegetables located on a 4.5 hectare permaculture farm called Verbaarum.

We give our vegetables to our members from May to December, and we grow everything from spinach to aubergines to outdoor-melons. We can't afford a greenhouse (yet) so we specialise in outdoor growing of tropical crops such as paprika's, peppers, tomatoes, melons, aubergines, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and more.

We grow most of our crops within a 1 hectare food forest that was planted in 2020 so we're also beginning to harvest lots of berries and nuts and also the first apples and cherries.

Instagram: @de_woldtuin

Website: www.dewoldtuin.nl

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We moved from Britain to Sweden in 2017. And in 2020 we bought a tiny farm of 2.1 hectares, Ålunden. In the 70s it had been a strawberry farm. When we bought it it was a field of compacted clay which flooded in spring and autumn and was like concrete in the summer.

Luckily I found Charles and no dig .Living in zone 4 with snow and temperatures of -20, I had to learn a new way of gardening and sadly many plants I grew in the UK will not overwinter here! My bay trees and globe artichokes are favourites. I have even tried winter gardening, which involves using snow and boxes to germinate seeds. It sometimes works!

We have a big greenhouse and various beds made of compost, well rotted manure, grass clippings, leaf mold and sand. We add a lot of grass clippings to keep the moisture in, the weeds down and provides a bit of extra warmth and nutrients.  It seems to work really well as we seem to grow ginormous veg! Our veg grows in amongst huge sunflowers and other flowers which pop up everywhere. We grow without fertilisers, pesticides etc and rely on my happy toads, ladybirds and ground beetles to sort out my plants problems.

Now 4 years later I am growing fruit, veg and herbs and selling my produce to the local community from my little honesty shop and directly to customers as part of a local producers network.

Our website is alunden.se

Our email address is info@alunden.se