Soil is one of the fundamental aspects of a successful garden, whether you’re growing crops, aiming for aesthetics, or simply gardening as a hobby. In this article, I want to talk about “No Dig” gardening, a technique that focuses on building a living soil rich in fungi.
I’ve been following no dig practices in my garden with great success, and this article will be a basic introduction to what it is and why it’s beneficial to your garden’s success.
What is No Dig Gardening?
No dig, also known as no till, is a gardening method that avoids disturbing the soil as much as possible. Traditional farming advocates ploughing and cultivating the soil to loosen it up for root growth, destroy weeds, and bring nutrients to the surface.
No dig advocates the opposite approach, using minimal soil disturbance and layering nutrients on the surface. This concept mimics natural processes of soil building: a tree drops leaves on the ground, these leaves break down, and the nutrients gradually penetrate the soil, enriching it over time.
For example, when you plant a tree, conventional wisdom suggests adding fertilizer to the hole. No dig gardening, however, would advocate adding nutrients on top of the soil and letting water pull those nutrients down to the plant’s roots.
This isn’t to say that adding fertilizer to an existing hole is bad, but next time you are applying fertilizer, consider simply placing it on the soil surface instead of digging it into the ground.
The concept of layering nutrients on top of the soil over time integrates nicely with other methods of gardening such as hügelkultur and lasagne gardening which I use when filling my raised garden beds.
Benefits of No Dig Method
Healthy soil is not just rich in nutrients, it also has many different organisms living in it such as insects, bacteria and fungi which work in tandem to benefit the soil and plants. This is what is referred to as living soil and is the epitome of what we as gardeners want to aim for in our own gardens.
When the soil is undisturbed, beneficial fungi called mycorrhizal fungi will grow and build networks underground which act as nutrient highways transporting minerals such as phosphorous usually unavailable to plants to their roots. The plants release sugars from their roots which attract these fungi as well as certain bacteria allowing nutrient exchange resulting in stronger plants and healthier soil.
When you use traditional methods such as ploughing and cultivating, you disturb the soil and damage these fungi. So the less you disturb the soil the larger and more extensive these networks can grow between plant root systems.
With that in mind these are some key benefits of promoting a healthy, living soil via no dig:
- Improved Soil Structure: Mycorrhizal fungi and other soil organisms improve soil structure resulting in better water retention, and root penetration.
- Disease Resistance: Healthy soils with diverse microbial populations help plants resist diseases by outcompeting harmful pathogens and producing natural antibiotics.
- Carbon Capture: Living soils can store carbon more effectively. Organic matter, including the organisms in the soil, trap carbon which helps improve nutrient availability.
- Reduction of Chemical Inputs: The natural nutrient cycling and pest control provided by soil organisms lead to more sustainable and cost-effective gardening practices.
- Erosion Control: Improved soil structure and the presence of organic matter help prevent soil erosion.
Conclusion
No dig gardening is a sustainable method that enhances soil health by minimizing fungi and root disturbance. It improves soil structure, boosts disease resistance, captures carbon, reduces chemical inputs, and prevents erosion. By mimicking natural processes, no dig gardening supports a thriving, resilient garden, benefiting both plants and the environment.
