To dig or not to dig as the great man said or something along similar lines.

By Colin Ashton.

I fall into the NO DIG group but I'd prefer to call it minimal soil disruption which is a real mouthful and doesn't have the same clout. The spade has to come out of the shed from time to time depending on the task required. When I took over my wilderness plot I had to dig to remove deep-rooted weeds and loads of bricks and glass. But ever since no dig has been my preferred choice.

It's all about looking after the health and structure of the soil and everything that lives in it, putting back more than I take out. My manure and compost are layered on top of the soil surface, letting the creatures below feed and take it below to do the work for me. So it has become a totally new way for me and I try to constantly improve its condition. It also dovetailed into the raised bed system I wanted. Therefore it's a mindset that I've adapted to, but it's more than not just digging. It also means I think about what to grow and what I have in the ground, especially at the end of its growing period. For instance, take the bean family. It's well known that beans provide nitrogen which is put into the soil so I let the plant die down, cut the stem about 5cm above the soil, and leave the root system in the ground to decompose and still feed the soil. Redundant top growth is then composted. I haven't disturbed the soil at all and if need be my following crop can go straight in, but the soil has been enriched.

Potatoes I've experimented with by placing the seed potato close to the soil surface and mulching as and when the top growth appears, and I'm pretty happy with the results. When the potatoes are ready I can harvest by hand most of the time, and as the soil structure gets better this will become much easier. The mulch is left in place as additional weed suppression and moisture retainer. So I didn't have to dig a trench (though I do have a potato planter so if anyone wants to borrow it just ask), heap up the soil to protect the tubers, and finally dig out spuds.  I have to question the old adage saying that growing potatoes helps to break up the soil but actually is it the potato or is it the digging process that's actually breaking the soil?

The other key discipline is never walking on and compacting the soil. I broad fork the soil to create aeration in the soil structure and walking on top of the soil defeats this objective, again I can't stress enough the importance of looking after the health and structure of the soil.

For me, it's a personal preference to not dig but I have no objection whatsoever to those that prefer to dig. I'm a great believer that if you are happy with what you're doing then that shows in the results of your plot and the produce you produce which makes you a contented allotmenteer.

I would never say to anyone you shouldn't be digging but should be growing the no-dig way, but you know it's quite an evocative subject for some, especially with some traditional diggers who seem to have a real bee in their bonnet about the subject. I hope they aren't digging a hole for themselves. This is a topic that's going to be a point of discussion for years to come.

I'm Colin on plot 39. I hope you have enjoyed my insight into why I am a no-digger. I'm happy to discuss the pros and cons and hear your views.