TOP SOIL

An ancient way of growing practised across the globe, no-dig gardening has increased in popularity in recent years as gardeners embrace more environmentally friendly ways of growing. I have been using no-dig methods for 14 years, in market gardens and large private estates, as well as allotments, small beds and pots on a concrete patio.

Soil has been misunderstood for a long time – there was a belief that there needed to be a fine tilth for plants to grow, and that digging it over in the autumn would break up the soil during the winter. We now know that far from being helpful, this actually harms the soil structure and the soil life.