Thinking ahead for next year, it’s great to see what courses are out there that can add to your gardening knowledge. I’ve been intrigued for a while now about the ‘No dig’ system of gardening, where soil is improved by adding compost every year to beds but without digging it in. My back supports this idea very much as all the hard work is done by worms gradually working the compost into the soil. No digging also retains the structure of the soil and if you can add a couple of inches of compost each year, will help to reduce weeds too. Charles Dowding (above) is a great advocate of ‘No dig’ gardening and has been operating a successful veg growing business for twenty-nine years using this system. I’m hoping to attend one of his courses running at Great Dixter in February next year. As well as books about ‘No dig’ gardening, he’s also written about salad leaves for all seasons, and so ‘participants will also learn about the importance of sowing at the best time of year for each vegetable crop, to help minimise pests and maximise yield, and there’ ll also be the opportunity for discussion about planting by the moon and biodynamics’. Planting by the moon -another topic that I’ve always meant to investigate (but often wondered if planting by the moon would be possible with my sometimes rigid gardening schedule), so I’m really looking forward to attending the course and learning from an expert in his field.
If you can’t make the course in February, there are many courses at Great Dixter (above) throughout the year that will tempt you and Charles Dowding also runs courses from his farm in Somerset which are booking now for spring next year.
West Dean Gardens, nr Chichester in W.Sussex are offering some really interesting gardening courses for next year including ‘Training trees and shrubs’, ‘Designing your own garden’ and ‘The organic kitchen garden’ (and lots more), and it’s worth keeping an eye on The Garden Museum in London too as they’ll be introducing more talks and events for 2012 soon.
Out of my shed 
That’s a great selection Naomi. I’ve been to one of Charles Dowding’s talk and West Dean was fab in February when I went to one of their courses. It’s a great way to brighten up the dark days of winter!
Hi VP, have just booked a course for West Dean in Feb as I’ve only heard good things about both the gardens and their courses, and you’re right, it certainly may brighten up a winter’s day, although it was rather gorgeous out gardening in London today-how long can this go on? p.s Many thanks for retweet too. Naomi
We use a layer of cardboard then cover with 50mm of manure/compost. This keeps the weeds away.
Hi Simon, Good advice-how long before the cardboard rots down? N x
No tilling is as foreign to the average person as mowing your leaves into the turf instead of raking them. The new research on both should be a relief to many!
Very interesting for lazy/time-starved gardeners like me. I am much more likely to add compost if I don’t have to dig it in. So no doubt this post will do a lot of gardens and gardeners good.
Dear Julie and Nicolette, Yes, the ‘No dig’ system does seem to benefit all, though may be difficult when you need to reclaim land from weeds straight away and don’t have the luxury of time to help improve the soil ? Naomi
wow nice flowers! I want share that to have a nice growth of plant like this is even putting down only the organic fertilizer can help the plant growth healthy and beautifully.
Have a look at Rudolph Steiner’s stuff on biodynamic gardening – I think you’ll find it of interest
Thanks London Hostel and LBK-will take a look at Rudolf Steiner’s books. Naomi