I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?
--
Chris

Chris wrote:
I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?
Indeed, one should dig as little as possible. It makes one's back hurt
so. Get a little man in to do it; or 'persuade' one's wife that it is
womans lot to suffer in silence.

rL

On 26/1/09 09:47, in article ], "Chris"
] wrote:

I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Digging in what circumstances? If making a new bed, or clearing out an old
one, I don't see how you can avoid it. And you have to turn the soil to get
a workable tilth for veg etc, surely But if talking about well-stocked
flower beds, we haven't a hope of digging ours for fear of what we'd destroy
that's currently hiding under the ground.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

In article ], ] says...
I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Digging destroys the soil fabric, you should avoid touching established
beds, mulch and light weed only. Farmers do it to clear the ground and
because their crops are annual in which case it does not make as much
difference although they still have to fertilizer more than if they left
the ground alone, some american farmers started not ploughing to avoid
soil erosion problems, they use glysophate weedkillers to clear the
ground and discovered they got higher yields than when they ploughed as
the soil structure was better and held more water and nutrient. As
excuses go it is about the best you will find for taking it easy :~)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

The message ]
from Chris ] contains these words:

I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.

Bob Flowerdew is against winter digging...

But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Farmers can't use a seed drill in unworked land.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Digging in what circumstances? If making a new bed, or clearing out an old
one, I don't see how you can avoid it.

Cover with mulch, and hoe down any weeds that appear.

And you have to turn the soil to get
a workable tilth for veg etc, surely

No. It helps with root veg such as carrots and parsnips, but if the
ground is good and friable, it doesn't really matter.

But if talking about well-stocked
flower beds, we haven't a hope of digging ours for fear of what we'd destroy
that's currently hiding under the ground.

Likewise for veg. and fruit...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

On Jan 26, 3:03*pm, Rusty_Hinge
wrote:
The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Digging in what circumstances? *If making a new bed, or clearing out an old
one, I don't see how you can avoid it.

Cover with mulch, and hoe down any weeds that appear.

*And you have to turn the soil to get
a workable tilth for veg etc, surely

No. It helps with root veg such as carrots and parsnips, but if the
ground is good and friable, it doesn't really matter.

After wrestling with this matter for sixty five years in various
locations, my conclusion is the type of soil is the crucial factor. I
now labour with a clay soil that does need the surface breaking up. My
best buy was a cheap electric cultivator from Lidl - easy work, does
not go too deep but gives a beautiful friable top for sowing and
planting.

In article ], Chris ]
writes
I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Thanks for your replies.
To clarify, I am interested in vegetable gardening, and my soil is a
fertile medium silty loam with lots of added manure and home-made
compost.
Does that make a difference?
--
Chris

In message , Sacha
writes
On 26/1/09 09:47, in article ], "Chris"
] wrote:

I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Digging in what circumstances? If making a new bed, or clearing out an old
one, I don't see how you can avoid it.

Not necessarily, there are non-dig approaches using mulches to kill off
weeds etc.

Plenty on the web searching on 'no dig gardening'

And you have to turn the soil to get
a workable tilth for veg etc, surely

Again not necessarily. Young plants can be planted straight into the
soil, for seeds you can make a drill and sow into compost. Or you might
just do a bit of light cultivation for this. But really you want to use
a bed approach, so that the soil does not get compacted by being walked
on etc.

Not that we are exactly no-diggers, more like, not-much digging, if for
nothing else it's easier and takes less time. Though I think if you have
poor soils, an initial dig probably helps get them into a better state
quicker - I dug the beds in our old heavy clay Leeds garden for example,
but after that they weren't regularly dug.
--
Chris French

In article ], ] says...
In article ], Chris ]
writes
I heard on Gardeners Question time that one should dig as little as
possible.
They were against winter digging.
But I notice that farmers plough deep.
What are the considerations?

Thanks for your replies.
To clarify, I am interested in vegetable gardening, and my soil is a
fertile medium silty loam with lots of added manure and home-made
compost.
Does that make a difference?

Sounds good stuff. There are quite a few books out there on the subject
of No dig veg gardening. If you can avoid walking on the growing area
then it makes a lot of sense although personally would call it little dig
veg gardening rather than no dig :~)
I am not a veg gardener but the are huge areas of cultivated ground here
that I have not dug since we cleared it after moving in 27 years ago so
you really do not have to dig ground to grow stuff.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea