A homesteader on TikTok shared a useful method for how to start a no-dig garden. The method is said to minimize soil disturbances without needing to overturn existing soil.
"I love the no-dig method," the TikToker, RedEye Creek Homestead (@redeyecreekhomestead), told viewers.
@redeyecreekhomestead No dig for life!!! #nodiggarden #gardentok #homestead #homesteading #compost #woodchips #organicgardening #homesteadinglife #howto #howtotok #fyp ♬ Paradise - TELL YOUR STORY music by Ikson™
All you need is cardboard, compost, and optionally, woodchips.
The scoop
To begin, you take cardboard and add it to your existing ground. Then, you wet down the cardboard and add compost on top. You can then use wood chips to create a walkway over the cardboard between the garden beds.
"I'm going to [use] six inches of compost and six inches of wood chips," the OP explained. "That's going to suppress weeds, and it's going to give me a medium to immediately replant."
How it's helping
A wealth of benefits come from the no-dig gardening method. One of the most compelling is that it allows gardeners to save money.
"After a few years of no-dig, the soil settles into a firm structure with fine pores that allows the movement of water, air, and nutrients," Garden Organic wrote. "This is better for moisture retention than soil that has had large air spaces introduced through cultivation."
With pronounced water retention, you'll be spending far less on water bills necessary for your traditional garden beds. Even better, adding native plants to the beds will mean far fewer utility bills as well.
Further, this method means you get to spend far less time tending to your garden. As Garden Organic described, the method means "a lot less physical effort and time spent cultivating." As an added bonus, there's no need to consistently weed your garden, as most stay buried when you're not digging.
Meanwhile, the method cultivates a healthy soil ecosystem that is vital for pollinators and other keystone species to thrive. With fewer weeds, there's little need for harsh weed killer chemicals that negatively alter soil health. Further, by rebuilding the soil health in your garden, you're rebuilding the chance for critters, native plants, and the rest of the ecosystem to grow. This means a healthier community for the planet and yourself.
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I already have 🧑🌾 What everyone's saying
TikTok viewers are excited to give the no-dig method a try.
"Great information," one wrote.
Another said they aren't going back to traditional gardening after trying this method.
"I have used this now and never [going back to] dig for me," they said.
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