No Dig For Beginners

This is the state of the plot we took on in February 2023 

We took on 1/2 plot as we figured this was a big enough 

challenge 

First, we cut back all the weeds to ground level and pulled what we could from the ground. We then added a couple layers of cardboard. (making sure any tape was removed) This was watered and trodden down before adding the compost.

We then needed some compost. We chose well rotted horse manure from a local farmer who also delivered to the plot for us. We purchased 8 dumpy bags per bed and cost £4 per bag and we made 4 beds. We picked up some free stones on Facebook and a couple bags from Otter nursery to border to help reduce weeds whilst keeping our beds small for our first allotment.

In the 4 beds we had 

Bed one onions

Bed two Radish

Bed three Lettuce & Swede

Bed four Parsnip 

We also added runner beans and made a tower for them to climb

From bamboo shoots. We made three towers in the end because 

The high winds took it down so we tried different ways to keep it stood

(We'll share our failed attempts below)

Lettuce 

Raddish

One happy little grower and his pumpkin 

Carrots 

Swede - Our swede didn't grow much larger than this so what

we are going to try next year is larger beds - deeper sow. We

had a pesky mole that kept appearing in our beds so although

These weren't taken the beds were disturbed. 

Pumpkin 

Pumpkin

Carrots

Some of our haul including some apples from a tree on the allotment 

Carrot

Parsnip 

My whopper of a parsnip