How to Make a No Dig Garden Bed With Charles Dowding
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Date: 2022-07-18
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Comments and reviews: 14
Debbie
Bermuda grass is horrible! It's highly drought tollerent, which is why so many folks have it here in North Texas. It's nearly impossible to keep it out of flower beds and gardens here. 4 years ago, our lawn looked awful and I spoke with our landscaper about putting sod down to make things look good for our daughters wedding. He convinced me to go with St Augustine grass. 4 years later, I am so happy with it. Besides having a beautiful lawn, St Augustine doesn't spread out into my flower beds at all.
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Bermuda grass is horrible! It's highly drought tollerent, which is why so many folks have it here in North Texas. It's nearly impossible to keep it out of flower beds and gardens here. 4 years ago, our lawn looked awful and I spoke with our landscaper about putting sod down to make things look good for our daughters wedding. He convinced me to go with St Augustine grass. 4 years later, I am so happy with it. Besides having a beautiful lawn, St Augustine doesn't spread out into my flower beds at all.
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June
I live in the low desert in AZ. Just keep pulling the Bermuda grass when you see it coming up in your beds. It's best to do after you water. In time you'll have less and less. On my acre of land I let the Bermuda grow in big patches to let my horses graze every now and then. But I don't want it in my garden beds. Since I buy Bermuda to feed my horses I don't mind the watering when it comes up wild. It does make a nice lawn for me. No fertilizing and I keep other weeds out of it.
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I live in the low desert in AZ. Just keep pulling the Bermuda grass when you see it coming up in your beds. It's best to do after you water. In time you'll have less and less. On my acre of land I let the Bermuda grow in big patches to let my horses graze every now and then. But I don't want it in my garden beds. Since I buy Bermuda to feed my horses I don't mind the watering when it comes up wild. It does make a nice lawn for me. No fertilizing and I keep other weeds out of it.
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Anthony
A question about going forward with Kevin using a more conventional mulch the shredded straw. With No Dig, when you add successive layers of compost, once or twice a year or whatever, should you scrape off the straw mulch before adding a layer of compost or simply apply the compost layer on top? I am into my first season with new raised beds and Im using 2-3 of fine wood chips/course saw dust (a by-product of my wood turning hobby) for mulch. Thanks.
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A question about going forward with Kevin using a more conventional mulch the shredded straw. With No Dig, when you add successive layers of compost, once or twice a year or whatever, should you scrape off the straw mulch before adding a layer of compost or simply apply the compost layer on top? I am into my first season with new raised beds and Im using 2-3 of fine wood chips/course saw dust (a by-product of my wood turning hobby) for mulch. Thanks.
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Noel
Wet down the cardboard. Extend the cardboard around the sides to stop weeds growing around the sides of the bed. Remove roots of the weed with a fork if you have really tough weeds the rest can be starved. Put down soil that you have in the garden. if the soil is rock hard losen it up with a fork it will be the first and last time you ever do it again so do it it will help to get a deeper bed. Add compost every year.
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Wet down the cardboard. Extend the cardboard around the sides to stop weeds growing around the sides of the bed. Remove roots of the weed with a fork if you have really tough weeds the rest can be starved. Put down soil that you have in the garden. if the soil is rock hard losen it up with a fork it will be the first and last time you ever do it again so do it it will help to get a deeper bed. Add compost every year.
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Lisa
Kevin. I would be worried about the Bermuda grass making it's way onto the bed also. Use all those boxes, lay it down around the bed, and spread more mulch on top of it. Your inexpensive, attractive path will do the same thing you are trying to achieve inside the bed, starve the weed grass and enrich the soil in the process. Likely your path will expand your water retention.
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Kevin. I would be worried about the Bermuda grass making it's way onto the bed also. Use all those boxes, lay it down around the bed, and spread more mulch on top of it. Your inexpensive, attractive path will do the same thing you are trying to achieve inside the bed, starve the weed grass and enrich the soil in the process. Likely your path will expand your water retention.
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Dineen
I removed some well established Bermuda grass from a heavy caliche lawn at my sister's house to prep for a veggie garden. All I used was a pick axe, dug down 6-8. Never used the cardboard method, just bags of omni compost mix. Central Arizona. 12 years of productive 2 season gardening. Oh and we mulched on top with stringy dropped stems of her Willard Acacia.
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I removed some well established Bermuda grass from a heavy caliche lawn at my sister's house to prep for a veggie garden. All I used was a pick axe, dug down 6-8. Never used the cardboard method, just bags of omni compost mix. Central Arizona. 12 years of productive 2 season gardening. Oh and we mulched on top with stringy dropped stems of her Willard Acacia.
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Tom
Thank you for all your work and videos. I've just recently retired, and will be starting up my garden during the next couple of months. BTW, that weed you called Bermuda Grass, in South Florida we call it a lawn. LOL I've also turned my son onto your videos. He lives in San Diego as well. Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge you provide.
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Thank you for all your work and videos. I've just recently retired, and will be starting up my garden during the next couple of months. BTW, that weed you called Bermuda Grass, in South Florida we call it a lawn. LOL I've also turned my son onto your videos. He lives in San Diego as well. Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge you provide.
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needsomehike
what can i plant in mixed fresh/1-2-3 months old manure? tried to compost it, didn't heat up. i would like to put some soil on the top and plant something into it. what would be the best option? someone said pumpkin and zucchini is a good choice. but i also have some beet and green (chard) seeds. any idea would be much appreciated.
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what can i plant in mixed fresh/1-2-3 months old manure? tried to compost it, didn't heat up. i would like to put some soil on the top and plant something into it. what would be the best option? someone said pumpkin and zucchini is a good choice. but i also have some beet and green (chard) seeds. any idea would be much appreciated.
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Olga
I have started my no dig beds as I have been doing cobtainer growing. it is quite challenging for me for asidr from my overactive midget dog the more serious problem are the monkeys harvesting my crop. luckily they are not interested of my greens. So inspired of all your videos and especially Mr Dowding for such a successful no dig garden.
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I have started my no dig beds as I have been doing cobtainer growing. it is quite challenging for me for asidr from my overactive midget dog the more serious problem are the monkeys harvesting my crop. luckily they are not interested of my greens. So inspired of all your videos and especially Mr Dowding for such a successful no dig garden.
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JS
Kevin, I've been binge watching both you and Charles for a few weeks now (as I've just found you both lol) and this definitely gives me hope that I can be self sufficient, at least in the agricultural aspect (I'm one of those kooky prepper types. Thank you and bless youso much to you both for what you put out to all of us out here.
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Kevin, I've been binge watching both you and Charles for a few weeks now (as I've just found you both lol) and this definitely gives me hope that I can be self sufficient, at least in the agricultural aspect (I'm one of those kooky prepper types. Thank you and bless youso much to you both for what you put out to all of us out here.
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Marlo
Another wonderful video. How about a video about converting an existing bed to no dig? I'm in Ft. Worth area of Texas. My small garden is actually still producing tomatoes - I know! Crazy, right? In any case, the small raised garden has been in place for 18 years. What would I do with this area to convert?
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Another wonderful video. How about a video about converting an existing bed to no dig? I'm in Ft. Worth area of Texas. My small garden is actually still producing tomatoes - I know! Crazy, right? In any case, the small raised garden has been in place for 18 years. What would I do with this area to convert?
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Magisktification
I live in Sweden in a colder part than Downing. I always mulch my plants. Have little to no slug problems. Yes their there but they actually seem to prefer semi broken down matter over fresh produce so they sticl to the damn mulch. I just cant understand his problem with mulch and raised beds.
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I live in Sweden in a colder part than Downing. I always mulch my plants. Have little to no slug problems. Yes their there but they actually seem to prefer semi broken down matter over fresh produce so they sticl to the damn mulch. I just cant understand his problem with mulch and raised beds.
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Robert
If you have a stone or gravel area or even cracks in concrete don't go out and buy pesticides or other toxic chemicals. You can hand spray specific weeds with just a mixture of salt and baking soda in order to change the PH of a spot and the weed can be put in the compost pile when it dies.
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If you have a stone or gravel area or even cracks in concrete don't go out and buy pesticides or other toxic chemicals. You can hand spray specific weeds with just a mixture of salt and baking soda in order to change the PH of a spot and the weed can be put in the compost pile when it dies.
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Tom
Great info. I now have bookmarked Mr. Dowdings site and I'm starting a no dig this fall. What about doing the black plastic method to cook out the grass first because that's what I'm going to do. I live in the south where that ground will cook up to 140 degrees with black plastic.
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Great info. I now have bookmarked Mr. Dowdings site and I'm starting a no dig this fall. What about doing the black plastic method to cook out the grass first because that's what I'm going to do. I live in the south where that ground will cook up to 140 degrees with black plastic.
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