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Submit your no dig

If you would like to be featured on our no dig world map, please send some details about your no dig garden or allotment, plus a photo if possible, to anna@charlesdowding.co.uk. Please also share your location!

And if you would be happy for no dig neighbours to get in touch, please let Anna know and she can include your email address in your bio.

No Dig Image
With no dig becoming more popular worldwide, we decided to create an annual day of celebration.
This year, No Dig Day is Friday 3rd November.
Last autumn,  I was delighted by the support, from all around the world, for the first No Dig Day. It was such a celebration! Not only for this beautiful method of growing, but for our community. Thank you to everyone who took part – we are helping more people to grow their own food.

Competition Time!
For this year’s No Dig Day, we are running two competitions for children. The first is for ‘Best Veg Garden of 2023’. This is open to children up to the age of 14, and the winner will receive a cash prize of £100!

The second is to create some Veg Art – use vegetables to create a mouth-watering artistic masterpiece! This is open to children of any age, and the winner of each age category will receive signed copies of my Children’s No Dig Gardening Book and the No Dig Cookbook.

Please send entries to ann@charlesdowding.coby the end of the day on Sunday 5th November (whatever timezone you are in!)

You will need to include the following info:
- Name of child
- Age of child
- Photo of entry, with a description (optional)

We look forward to seeing your entries, and good luck! 🌱

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No dig allows you to work in harmony with your soil for healthy plants and bumper crops, without huge effort. Leave soil undisturbed, and feed soil life at the surface with organic matter. That’s it!

With this method, soil drains well, holds warmth and moisture, and retains organic matter and carbon. You can pop in seeds and plants at any time, with no mud. And the best thing of all is that weeds are few, so you have more time for creative gardening and making compost.
Tessa Pritchard
London, SE27

Tessa Pritchard

London, SE27

From a rectangle of grass I have transformed my garden to a flower paradise.

I wish I had done it the No Dig way. Now the beds get a mulch of homemade compost most years.

(My no dig allotment is also on the map.)

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Tessa Pritchard
London, SE21

Tessa Pritchard

London, SE21

I have had Plot 470 at Rosendale Allotments, since 2012. Started off in the way I learned from my Dad by digging the whole thing.

Over the years I have changed how I look after it and in the last three years have been cultivating it the No Dig way!

Last year (2023) I had the best crops I have ever had with no deep cracks when the clay soil inevitably dries out.

Many other plot holders are now going No Dig.

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Kim van Megen
Nieuwstadt, the Netherlands

Kim van Megen

Nieuwstadt, the Netherlands

My garden is organic and no dig. We moved in two years ago and after extensive renovations inside, only just started to convert the garden last year with a cold greenhouse and a no dig veggie bed inside our family garden.

This year I am making two more no dig gardening beds 🎉 and I can’t wait to recreate the no dig set up I had at our previous house.

The photo shows the start up veggie beds (they’re only small raised ones, the big beds are not yet ready).

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Ximena and Marc
Regensburg, Germany

Ximena and Marc

Regensburg, Germany

We started our no dig garden in 2022 (after a few failed attempts the 2 years previous because we didn’t follow no dig!)

We have a normal (rented) house in the suburbs with a generous garden area in which we created 6 full size beds and a couple of small patches here and there.

We also added 7 hens to our lot for the most amazing eggs and we practice electroculture!

We are happy to be contacted on ximena@ximenadelaserna.com

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Annie Cunningham
Wellington, New Zealand

Annie Cunningham

Wellington, New Zealand

My garden has been No Dig since the first lockdown. I did some of Charle's courses, Skills Growing and From Seed to Harvest.

I started with 4 original garden beds and now have 14 of various sizes. We've had very high winds all summer here in Wellington which has kept knocking the plants back. Very dry and temps in the high 20's.

I'm almost self sufficient in compost and my wormary is doing very well too.

My vision is impaired but I've found using the no dig method, there are generally less weeds unless I miss them, however, I now think of weeds as compost inputs.

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Blooming Green
Linton, Maidstone, Kent

Blooming Green

Linton, Maidstone, Kent

Blooming Green was founded by cousins Bek & Jen and has since grown into a happy team of staff and volunteers who, together, form the unique business that exists today. Established on an acre of ground that was once a Bramley orchard, the plot at LoddingtonFarm is still at the heart of the business. Organic, no-dig and what many people call their ‘happy place’… we love sharing our flower plot with others

For more information visit our website, follow us on social media or sign-up to our newsletter online

Blooming Green, Loddington Farm, Linton, Maidstone, Kent ME174AG

E: theshed@bloominggreenflowers.co.uk T: 01622 298676

www.bloominggreenflowers.co.uk

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Four Acre Farm
Ringwood, Hampshire

Four Acre Farm

Ringwood, Hampshire

Four Acre Farm is a Community Interest Company in Ringwood, Hampshire. We are setting up a weekly veg box scheme for local residents, selling in local shops and supplying restaurants.

We are caretakers of 4 acres of farmland and have already planted over 4 thousand trees to form a new native mixed species hedgerow,  130 fruit trees for a new orchard and sown wildflower seeds for the meadow and orchard to create permanent ground cover .

Our goal is to repair soil, create new & diverse habitat for thousands of species & provide chemical free food for the community. We want to show people how food can be grown locally with care and how they can be a part of the story.

Our methods grow alongside natural systems not against them. We are a No Dig farm and do not use any pesticides, herbicides , fungicides, artificial fertilisers or slug pellets!

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Natuurboerderij KipEigen | Eva Vos & Ellen Bosgoed
Loosdrecht, The Netherlands

Natuurboerderij KipEigen | Eva Vos & Ellen Bosgoed

Loosdrecht, The Netherlands

On 1.872 m2  we grow 60 variaties of vegetables and herbs. This no-dig garden is part of our regenerative farm, that started in 2018. The no-dig garden was added in 2023. In 2024 we deliver veggie-bags for 120 people and fresh eggs for 200 people. We also have a small food forest, an orchard and peat meadow, with some turkeys and sheep. Chickens play an important role in our garden. They clear new garden beds, and ‘rake’ the beds in between crops in chicken tractors.  We have a small polytunnel, where we grow all our plantings from seed, after the chickens cleared it during winter. Their compost provides extra warmth.

In the market garden, the first meter of each bed is reserved for flowers/herbs/perennials, we have a wildlife pond and we started planting hedgerows. We see no-dig gardening as a way of creating synergies between nature and farming: nature can prosper while we produce healthy food for the local community. And during that we can regenerate ecosystems! We are very passionate about that and share our knowledge and experience in our courses, workshops, lectures and via consultancy.  

Name: Natuurboerderij KipEigen | Eva Vos & Ellen Bosgoed

Location: The Netherlands, Loosdrecht (Nieuw-Loosdrechtsedijk 24, 1231 KX)

www.kipeigen.nl

Instagram: @kip.eigen

Facebook: KipEigen

info@kipeigen.nl

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Tom Green – Round the Field
Bucklebury, West Berkshire

Tom Green – Round the Field

Bucklebury, West Berkshire

My market garden is called Round The Field.

It’s a family run no-dig market garden in organic conversion supplying West Berkshire.

The website is www.roundthefield.co.uk

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Ricky Lubelei
Maasai Mara, Narok county, Kenya

Ricky Lubelei

Maasai Mara, Narok county, Kenya

I am interested in no dig farming technique.

My garden is at Basecamp Explorer hotel, Maasai Mara, Kenya.

I do farming and I asking you to connect me with other no dig farmers in Kenya or Africa.

My email address is: rlubelei@gmail.com

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James Aufenast
Muswell Hill, London

James Aufenast

Muswell Hill, London

I have a no-dig, half plot at Muswell Hill Golf Course allotments in one of the greener parts of north London.

It’s a tiny space compared to the kitchen garden at Chiswick House that I used to manage – but it still provides plenty of delicious, organic produce for my family to enjoy.

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Elizabeth Turner
Vancouver Island, BC

Elizabeth Turner

Vancouver Island, BC

A little about my garden and journey to create Joy Acres.

When I was about 12 years old, my family had moved into a new farm and my dad decided to bring the old veggie patch back to life which sparked my interest in growing food immediately. I have never lost this love and have been honing my skills as an adult for the last ten years.

A few years ago I stumbled upon Charles’ videos and started employing a number of his techniques: multi sowing, fleece covers, moving away from wood sided beds. These techniques helped me gain some advantages in a perpetual battle against slugs in the soggy Pacific Northwest Climate of Vancouver Island. I was hooked!

I am fascinated by soil. I am honing my composting skills as I would like to be more regenerative in that regard. I have the great fortune of having a large piece of land in the city and I have converted all of my gardening approaches to adopt the No Dig approach.

Of course, I love growing fresh vegetables. More than anything though, I do it for the joy. I do it because being in the garden, working hard, moving, tending to plants and snacking on veggies is my happy place. I am meant to be a farmer and Joy Acres truly is a dream come true. I

I am happy to connect with other gardeners in my area. My email address is: elizabethmturner1@gmail.com

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Alexandra Cretu
Petrovaselo, Timiș, România

Alexandra Cretu

Petrovaselo, Timiș, România

I am 42 years old, never gardened in my life until last year when I began killing seedlings. This year I have gotten much better, thank God. Bought LED lights and your sowing calendar, yay!

I am the happy owner of a weekend getaway in Petrovaselo village, Timiș county of România. So I visit my future garden only 3-4 days a month. For now!

I am so grateful and inspired by Mr. Charles' work and your entire team. I want to do my part and help make no dig popular in my little part of the world.

My email address is alexandra.cretu@ymail.com

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Darren Stephens
Freshford, Bath, Somerset

Darren Stephens

Freshford, Bath, Somerset

After quitting my profession as a full-time chef in 2020 I pursued a career in horticulture.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to create a kitchen garden from scratch in a field next to the hotel to grow food for the kitchen. I knew very little at the time but after watching just a few of Charles’s YouTube videos I knew how I was going to go about it and he has been an inspiration ever since.

I am now growing a large variety of fruit, veg and cut flowers using organic no-dig methods on nearly 1/3 of an acre that go directly to the hotel and chefs within minutes of being picked.

Homewood kitchen garden

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Mike Blake
The Blackdown Hills

Mike Blake

The Blackdown Hills

I began my no dig journey about seven years ago after attending one of Charles’s courses. I have six 3x2m raised beds for veg, a 7x5m fruit cage and a greenhouse which incorporates an open bed for winter leaves and tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines in summer.

I work the veg beds pretty hard and try to add 5cm of a manure based mulch once or twice a year. I’m fully organic using just nematodes and netting for crop protection. I make my own compost, but use this on other areas of the garden as it doesn’t get hot enough to kill weed seeds and I don’t have the time or inclination to eliminate these from the heap!

As I’m not far from Homeacres, the climate is similar though with slightly cooler days as we’re 600ft up in the Blackdown hills.

No dig is a revelation in terms of cropping reliability, yields and labour saving. I have eliminated most perennial weeds and it’s relatively easy to keep on top of annual weeds. Spring is the fallowest period and I cover bare areas with cardboard to suppress weed growth.

This all sounds terribly earnest, but no dig has made gardening much more fun and rewarding!

Photos of no dig veg plot in March 2024 (not looking at its best!)

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Joe Gaudette
Manchester, Connecticut

Joe Gaudette

Manchester, Connecticut

I’m an avid follower of Charles.  This is my 5th year gardening using the No Dig practices. In addition to the videos, I purchased Charles’s Diary.  I’ve learned so much and have never enjoyed gardening more!

My site consists of ledge and sand and is wooded - extremely thin soil.  I began 4 years ago by chopping down the small trees & brush and using Charles’s method of covering with plastic for about 6 months.  As you know, it’s truly amazing how much can be grown using the no dig method even in poor soil with only about 7 hrs of sunlight around the summer solstice.  

I'm continually amazed at how few weeds there are and the strong growth of the plants.  I grow most all of the veg we eat.  I’m now working on having more veg stored during the off season and saving more seeds.  

Like Charles I continually do trials for different things and this past year was to have some salad greens over winter outside with no covering or protection.  To my amazement they survived, even through 12"-15" of snow!  Our weather is traditionally zone 6a but I tracked temperature this winter and we're now tracking more like zone 8a!  .....global warming.....

A tip for folks around the northeast US - I use 'Bumper Crop' organic compost to start my seeds.  It's advertised as a soil amendment and not for seed starting but it works great - strong root and plant growth.  As Charles mentions in his videos, good seed starting compost is not inexpensive but it works really well.  

The photo shows the garden in June 2023.

My email is: gaudettejoe52@gmail.com

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Diane Rhodes
Loughton, Essex

Diane Rhodes

Loughton, Essex

I have been using the no dig method for about 12-13 years with excellent results. It is also a lot easier now that I am 80!  

I usually get selected as in the top 10 of allotments on our site and even Commended or Highly Commended from all the allotments in Loughton, Essex.  

The allotment is on a steep hill and is the second oldest allotment site in continuous cultivation since 1813!

I put the black landscape fabric down so I can use my kneeler.

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Tom Green - Round the Field
Bucklebury, West Berkshire

Tom Green - Round the Field

Bucklebury, West Berkshire

My market garden is called Round The Field, www.roundthefield.co.uk

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Andrew Couzens
Chilliwack, BC

Andrew Couzens

Chilliwack, BC

We started out in 2019 and worm composting now makes up the bulk of our business leaving us producing on about 1/4 acre for restaurants and subscribers.

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Karen Schafer
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Karen Schafer

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I have been practicing no dig for 4 years and have experienced a tremendous improvement in the soil.

The only purchased inputs I have used are compost and vermicompost, as I cannot make enough compost for  my whole yard.  

The growing season (without covers) is April 1- Oct 31. I also do some winter gardening using cold frame covers on the raised beds.

The picture is from last spring.

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Stuart Moran
Edgefield, Norfolk

Stuart Moran

Edgefield, Norfolk

My garden is a domestic new build (2021) with flower / social areas and a veg area which is mainly raised beds due to sub soil and huge trees draining the subsoil.  All no dig (never been dug).

The photo is from 18 months ago. We did a local village open gardens in May 2023 and people were genuinely shocked at how quickly we were establishing a garden using no dig.

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Tom Largent
East Ardlsey, Leeds

Tom Largent

East Ardlsey, Leeds

I've just transitioned to no dig on my allotment in Leeds after many years of digging and lots of weeding. I still have a few more beds to make but the majority has been completed over this winter.

The allotment is leased from the council but run by it's members so we self manage the site. There is around 150 plots in total, a mixture of full and half sized plots.

My Instagram page @what_the_largents_grow

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Sophie Nazir
Horfield, Bristol

Sophie Nazir

Horfield, Bristol

I’ve followed Charles for the last 4 years and thanks to his amazing videos I’ve been able to create a thriving no dig allotment!

I’ve managed to make it to Charles’ garden and hope to come back again 😊

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Samantha Harris
Newport, Shropshire

Samantha Harris

Newport, Shropshire

I’ve had my allotment since spring 2021. It’s around 78m2 with 4 long beds, a pumpkin patch and a small pond home to lots of frogs.

Being no dig has helped immensely with the heavy clay soil we have. I’ve had really successful harvests growing in a more naturalistic way, encouraging insects, songbirds and fungi.

I’m excited to companion plant with more flowers this year to fill mine and my friends’ vases as well as plates!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sameatshamx/

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Yordanka Georgieva
Markovo, Bulgaria

Yordanka Georgieva

Markovo, Bulgaria

My no dig garden is situated in Markovo, Bulgaria, near the second largest city Plovdiv. The garden is quite new - this will be the second whole season.

I have named it “The healthy land”. It is about 150sqm kitchen garden in a suburban area.

I have no previous experience in gardening, but since I started it, I found my true passion. And thanks to the videos, you share on Youtube, i have learned a lot and implemented the method from the very beginning. And I am truly thankful for all the knowledge and inspiration Mr. Dowding shares with us all!

M contact info - yordanka.mancheva@gmail.com also on instagram - @thehealthyland

Below, i am sending also few pictures of the garden.

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Rosie Devitt
County Down, N Ireland

Rosie Devitt

County Down, N Ireland

I tried the nodig system last year for the first time and at 85 years old it makes veg gardening much easier!

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Caritas Lalley Community Allotment
Collyhurst, Manchester

Caritas Lalley Community Allotment

Collyhurst, Manchester

The Caritas Lalley Community Allotment is a peaceful space for growing food and flowers and enjoying nature in Collyhurst.

We switched to organic, no dig methods in 2022 and have been really enjoying the benefits of healthier soil and great harvests with less work ever since!

The allotment is run by charity Caritas Salford, which supports people experiencing poverty across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Produce is shared with local people through our food pantry service.

We welcome everyone to visit or volunteer, whether you're an experienced gardener or just want to get outside more.

If you'd like to visit, contact @lalleycentre@caritassalford.org.uk, or if you're interested in volunteering, contact volunteering@caritassalford.org.uk or sign up directly here www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer.

I'd be happy for neighbours to get in touch by emailing lalleycentre@caritassalford.org.uk.

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Sarah
Barningham, Suffolk

Sarah

Barningham, Suffolk

Having started a small no dig garden in 2020 - I was a complete convert.

When we moved to our forever home a few years later I knew that no dig was the only option.

I used cardboard and spent mushroom compost to create my no dig kitchen garden.

The land had been farmed/plowed for many years and no dig has brought everything back to life.

Lonk to our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by_the_willows?igsh=MWhycDB3MzRhdHdiMg==

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Ludovico Gui – SanBrite restaurant
Cortina d’ampezzo, Italy

Ludovico Gui – SanBrite restaurant

Cortina d’ampezzo, Italy

I’m Ludovico Gui, the gardener of SanBrite restaurant in Cortina d’ampezzo, Italy.

The San Brite restaurant is located in Cortina d'Ampezzo (BL), Italy. Awarded with one Michelin star and one green star of sustainability, it promotes the concept of regeneration both in its dishes and in the production of its raw materials.

Precisely for this reason the vegetable garden is based on the no dig principle, in order to offer fresh and organic vegetables grown with respect for the soil and the environment.

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Erica Chladová and Robert van der Pol
Oisterwijk, The Netherlands.

Erica Chladová and Robert van der Pol

Oisterwijk, The Netherlands.

We're big no dig fans!

Our garden is called grond|vorm, a garden, design and landscape laboratory founded in 2022 by LMNL office [for architecture and landscape].

It is located on the edge of the nature reserve Kampina in Oisterwijk.

We love growing our own food and we had no need for the old sandy horse paddock so we decided to convert it into our vegetable garden.

Using the no dig method we started out with a simple grid of beds 1,2x4m (perfect size according to us) with paths of 80cm between. In total we have 200m2 of vegetable beds plus 50m2 for cut flowers. On approximately 2 hectares (5 acres) we are creating a large naturalistic garden, wildflower meadow, forest grove, and orchard - among other things.

It's an experiment for us as landscape architects and architects. We're happy to open our garden to visitors.

Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grondvorm/

Our website: https://liminaloffice.com/projects/grond-vorm-landscape-lab



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Rising Herb Farm
Poland, Indiana

Rising Herb Farm

Poland, Indiana

Rising Herb Farm is a quaint herb farm, native plant nursery, and farmer's market vendor located in the hills and hollers of western Indiana, USA.

We've been No Dig since 2020!

www.facebook.com/risingherbs

Risingherbfarm.etsy.com

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Azusa Pacific University Community Garden
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University Community Garden

Azusa, California

The Azusa Pacific University Community Garden is a collaborative campus food garden with a 5000 square foot no dig “home vegetable garden” on campus plus perennial herbs, strawberries, cane berries, and fruit trees scattered around campus.

The garden is tended by student, faculty, and staff volunteers, and all of the produce is free for students to pick.

We also work with the City of Azusa to offer beginning food gardening workshops and youth gardening club to the surrounding community.

We’re currently working on two research projects: evaluating non-insecticidal strategies for managing aphids in brassicas in the home and community garden and developing a salsa pepper that is well-suited to our microclimate and doesn’t require supplemental shade in the late summer.  

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Nikodem Trojnar
Handzlówka, Poland

Nikodem Trojnar

Handzlówka, Poland

Everything because of Charles Dowding! I'm 21 and I've been practicing no dig for 4 years.

Two years ago, I started selling my vegetables seasonally and this is a proper dream!

Now we have around 600 square meters of no dig beds with 200 square meters under the cover.

Everything is on a slope facing south, surrounded by forests and meadows.

My email: farmaprymula@gmail.com

Also my Instagram:  @farma_prymula

https://www.instagram.com/farma_prymula?igsh=MWJrODdheGc3YnZxYg==

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Priscilla Park Weir
Cholderton, Salisbury

Priscilla Park Weir

Cholderton, Salisbury

Our allotment site is quite a small space given by a local organic farmer and there are 7 of us with plots of various sizes.  

We have to be organic and most of us use "no dig".

It is a beautiful site with views to the South and a row of beech trees to protect us from the North, though the wind can whip in from the West.

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Gillian Schafer
Farmborough, Somerset

Gillian Schafer

Farmborough, Somerset

I have known about no dig for a few years now but have only managed to get started properly recently.

I prepared my small plot in December, placing cardboard then covering with store bought peat-free compost.

I have had to make an addition of a net cage as the local gang of jackdaws find it amusing to pull out my seedlings.

I also have a small willow tree in my plot! I couldn't think of anywhere to transplant it to, so decided it could stay and get surrounded by veg. 😁

I have Charles' calendar and follow the planting guides to help me get timings right. I also find his YouTube videos really helpful.

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Steve Lloyd
Uxbridge

Steve Lloyd

Uxbridge

I am 72 and have been working a no dig allotment for six years.  It's on the Western Avenue site Hillingdon UB109QE. I call it Freezelandia.

It's very open and exposed and wet. It's a  large plot, now well established, developed from what was a grass covered unused mid position site, infested with wireworm.

A lot of work and cost to setup in 2018 but now easily tended and productive.

It's a free site to over 65's supported by the Hillingdon Borough Council Green Spaces Team. The team supply water, good perimeter fencing and a composting toilet on site. I believe there are empty or unused plots available. You can see two unworked plots  either side of mine.

There are about 60 plots each about 90 sq mtrs running North to South.

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Richard Battersby
Ripon, North Yorkshire

Richard Battersby

Ripon, North Yorkshire

I have a fledging no dig garden of 2 years. The focus of the garden is to be as productive as possible whilst encouraging as much wildlife as possible. This year I intend to build a pond.

I have 8 mildly raised beds, two sheds, a small greenhouse and a lot of enthusiasm. Last year I managed just 33kg worth of fruit and veg despite having a very challenging year having converted to peat-free compost. As you can see, the beds are within my modest garden, however, I have applied for an allotment.

I am not yet fully applying biodynamic principles although I am now fully organic and peat-free.

My ‘discovery’ of horticulture, organic and no dig gardening and veg growing has really changed my life. I have moved from a 50 hour week to a 19 hour week so that I am able to pursue my interests in horticulture. This is in no small part to due to the enthusiasm and inspiration given to me by Charles via his videos, books and podcast interviews.

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Peter and Helene
Otterup, Denmark

Peter and Helene

Otterup, Denmark

We bought the old farmhouse with five hectares of land in 2020 in order to 'liberate' the conventional farmland from chemicals and tilling and plant lots of trees. Our full-time jobs put a limit on the amount of development we can do, but so far we have managed to plant about 2700 trees (shelterbelt natives, fruit and nuts) and start the no-dog kitchen garden.

The land is North-East facing, exposed to the powerful local winds and very wet in winter - a creative challenge - and we enjoy watching the many different birds of prey feasting on the, ahem, healthy vole population.

One of our hobbies is growing 'Darwin apples' from seed (regular apples, but there is no way of knowing how they will turn out).

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Russell Stallings
Staunton, Virginia

Russell Stallings

Staunton, Virginia

I have been gardening organically since my days at Warren Wilson college in Swannanoa, NC, starting in 1983.

Last year was the first time I tried no dig. It makes so much sense, I'm hooked! I really enjoy the videos Charles puts out.

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Mike O'Brien
Deddington, Banbury

Mike O'Brien

Deddington, Banbury

We started no dig in the autumn of 2022 so last year was our first full year with no dig.

Better quality produce and more of it. Best of all about 5% weeds. Fantastic.

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Heulyn and Gin
Looe, Cornwall

Heulyn and Gin

Looe, Cornwall

This is our 3rd garden where we have been practising No Dig, having 1st experimented with the system back in the 80s after being inspired by Charles on Gardeners World.

All our dwellings here in south Cornwall came with challenges, mainly the lack of soil & this, our current home, despite being almost an acre of woodland, is no different.

After half a decade of considerable work we eventually concluded that trees are hungrier than us & began growing our plants in old fish boxes using the same idea of no dig, minimal disturbance & dressing the soil with home grown compost.

However, we have had a surprisingly fruitful orchard, which we planted using the No Dig method.

This is our 13th year here & although challenges still arise, No Dig is most definitely the way to go.

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Brian Mcguigan
County Donegal, Ireland

Brian Mcguigan

County Donegal, Ireland

I moved here to Southwest Donegal in September 2021 after living in Southeast England.

I came across Charles in 2015 and attended one of his Homeacres open days a few years later and have been gardening No Dig ever since.

I have 5 No Dig beds measuring 5 feet wide by 25 feet long on a very slight slope all running North to South.

My Polytunnel is 14 feet wide by 20 feet long containing 3 beds also on the same orientation as the garden beds.

I make my own compost in 3 bays measuring 6 feet by 5 feet which I fill from my half acre plot however I do need to buy in potting compost. Wood chipping, cow and horse manure are readily available in my area.

What I can’t eat I give away to neighbours and friends and hope that in time I can sell it locally.

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Nicola Hall
Carshalton, Surrey

Nicola Hall

Carshalton, Surrey

As a keen, although not always active gardener, I put my name on my local Council's waiting list for an allotment thinking I might get one in time for my retirement. Much to my surprise, I acquired my plot on the outskirts of South London on 20th May 2022, just over 6 months later.

The allotment is 50sq m, is a 5 minute walk from my home and with my husband's generous support and much to our surprise has supplied most of our vegetable needs for most of the year.  

We are so pleased with our efforts we have taken on the neighbouring plot which is heavily overgrown with brambles, bindweed and couch grass in the hope of growing  our own fruit. I have every confidence of what we can achieve with no dig.  

The photo shows our original plot i summer 2023, all achieved with no dig of course.  

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Lynne Roscrow
St Anne, Alderney, Channel Islands

Lynne Roscrow

St Anne, Alderney, Channel Islands

I am in my first season of no dig, took on an allotment at the end of summer last year, 2023, which was basically a 6 foot high bramble patch. So even though there has had to be soil disturbance to get out bramble roots,  the soil has not been turned over and I am employing the card, manure, seaweed plus wood chip for paths...all free and very plentiful resources here.

I know there are a few of us who are doing no dig in the allotments and no doubt in the wider community too, for such a small island (3 miles by 1.5 miles and approx 2000 residents) it is great to see. We even have a CSA market gardener who is following no dig/minimal disturbance and running a successful veg box scheme.

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Mike Bowser
Spalding, Lincs

Mike Bowser

Spalding, Lincs

I came to one of Charles courses maybe 15 years ago and being a horticulturist I was immediately sold on his no dig method.

At home I built 6 raised beds and have added compost ever since

I was a commercial fruit grower and Charles mentioned me in one of his books after we talked about apple growing.

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Conor McCauley
Midleton, Co.Cork, Ireland

Conor McCauley

Midleton, Co.Cork, Ireland

I'd like to add my farm to your no-dig world map. It's called Yellow Belly Farm and located in Midleton, Co.Cork, Ireland.

I've been building my no-dig organic farm on 3 acres since 2022 having been first inspired by Charles in 2019. ]

See a little more about my journey here. I'm also active on instagram and youtube.

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Bill Thicknes
Woodhouse Allotments, North Finchley, London

Bill Thicknes

Woodhouse Allotments, North Finchley, London

I am now practicing full no-dig at my allotment.

Charles has changed my life!

My email address is: billthicknes@outlook.com

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Amy West
Halesworth, Suffolk

Amy West

Halesworth, Suffolk

My no dig garden is in a rental property using cardboard and spent mushroom compost.

I have laid my veg patch straight on top of the grass - it is getting widened this year.


https://www.instagram.com/amys_allotment_adventure/

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Gayatri Ganesh
The Nilgiris, Southern India

Gayatri Ganesh

The Nilgiris, Southern India

I live in Kotagiri which is a small town at 6000 feet above mean sea level in the Nilgiris mountains in South India - a global biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats. The winter temperature is min5 to max20 C, and the maximum we've recorded in summer was 29 C. Our climate is actually temperate within a tropical country, which is why this region has historically grown what is known as "English vegetables" (cauliflower, brussels sprouts etc) not native to these part because of the climate that resembles that of Somerset. We get two monsoons a year (June-Sept) and (Oct-dec) but now with climate change we've seen very heavy rains for longer spells, and higher temperatures in the summer than ever before. Also the Nilgiris was the British summer capital during the colonial period. You can read more about how the native landscape was altered by the British during the colonial period in my article here: Big Green Lies

The native forests and grasslands were replaced with non-native exotic and invasive trees and shrubs like eucalyptus, black wattle, and lantana, and  tea plantations dominate the landscape. Today agriculture here is pesticide and chemical intensive.

My nodig fruit and vegetable garden sits on 0.34 acres, and the nodig forest of 55 native trees and 80 shrubs and grasses is on 0.30 acres. I heard about Charles and the nodig method from a friend of mine doing nodig in Spain. I began my nodig vegetable garden in August 2021 and it's been bountiful, effortless harvests ever since. I grow about 25 nodig vegetables (tomato (different varieties mainly cherry), onions, leeks, potato, radish, carrot, beetroots, kohl rabi, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale (2 types), beans, celery, spinach, cucumber, brinjal/eggplant, corn, pak choy, tatsoi, lollo biondo, romano, butterhead lettuce, iceberg, rocket and about 7 herbs. Some obvious ones like garlic and pumpkin - i am only starting this year. Planning on a trial of aspagarus and artichokes!. Indian native vegetables like gourds are tougher to grow in the colder climate but it is warming up year on year.

Fruit trees - peach, apricot, mandarin orange, avocado, apple (3-4 yr old trees). lime, pomelo, guava are older fruit giving trees.  

My main issue is with the invasive kikuyu grass and eradicating it has been my mission! Heavy mulching has been the only way but I think I've shown that it can be done on a small scale without pesticides.

A bit of background about me: I was a qualitative social researcher in London from 2002-2008. Returned to India in 2009 and worked with non-profits in public health and education. I moved to the Nilgiris in 2017 and I continue to support non-profits through writing grants to support their causes (ecology, climate change, animal welfare, healthcare)

Charles has been a real inspiration to me - a true guru.

The concept of building soil health with effortless harvests tied all my passions together. Just when I was getting fearful about starting vegetables, a friend from London who has a nodig garden in Spain, introduced me to the concept and the youtube channel. The youtube channel is an incredible resource.

I recently did a nodig workshop and demonstration at the Nilgiris Earth Festival and it was very well received. I have had requests to help people set up their nodig gardens.

We really hope to get Charles to the Nilgiris one day!

My instagram page where I am documenting my nodig and rewilding journey: https://www.instagram.com/gayatriganesh7?igsh=MTNteGYyMnIwZTNoNw==

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Graeme Kettle
Oromahoe, Northland, New Zealand

Graeme Kettle

Oromahoe, Northland, New Zealand

I use no dig gardening in both our garden beds and food forests.

I also like Charles's simple, no fuss gardening advice. We promoted no dig gardening to all our participants on this year's Northland Edible Garden Trail    https://www.northlandediblegardentrail.org.nz/home

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Anne and Phil Doyle
Leaden Roding, Essex

Anne and Phil Doyle

Leaden Roding, Essex

We have been growing using the No Dig method for 4 years now, with lots of successes and some failures.

We are doing this at our son and Daughter-in-law’s farm, but as we live in Surrey, we cannot get over there as often as we would like, once a week at most.

We raise the seedlings mainly at our home in modules, and transplant them when they are ready.

As they have sheep on the farm, we use spent sheep manure from the lambing shed for compost, and we make more from the grass clippings, veggie foliage and kitchen waste in dalek composters. One of our jobs this year is to make bigger compost bins from pallets.

The photo shows some of last year’s harvests.

Since going on one of Charles’ learning days in 2021, we have been hooked on no dig, and the results, on heavy Essex clay, have been very good. One problem has been that the parsnips grow so big that it’s difficult to dig them out of the clay which they grow down into!

We’ve been growing vegetables in our own garden here in Surrey for 50 years, but the results are so disappointing now, by comparison with my son’s veg plot, that we are gradually cutting down what we grow at home.

We have a productive and old asparagus bed, and we grow our salad greens at home, and that’s about all we will grow here now, when we can get so much better results on Essex soil.

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Connor Rowe
Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada

Connor Rowe

Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada

Connor's Garden

Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada

My name is Connor Rowe and I have been full-time market gardening since 2019.

My family owns 50 acres of land in Garden Hill, Ontario, Canada. Approximately half the land is forest and the other half is hay fields that we have let naturalize since we bought the property. The hay fields are flat and easy to work with when starting no-till market gardens from scratch, using tarps to kill turf and weeds via light deprivation. Then, simply adding a generous mulch of rich compost to make a healthy garden. My goal is to protect the environment, produce food that will come from a place of rich biodiversity, and ultimately keep people healthy. No-till/no-dig is essential for this.

I have two gardens that I manage on the property with the help from my long time friend and now assistant grower, Barb. The two gardens, despite being relatively close together, offer different challenges when it comes to maintenance, weeds, and pests. The garden closest to my house, which I call 'the small garden', is easier to provide water to as it is next to our pond and also well water connection. The big garden needs water taken to it via a tank on a trailer or ATV. The small garden is more difficult to maintain weed free as field horsetail, a nearly impossible to manage perennial weed, creeps in from the edges of the garden. No-till gardening is essential for controlling weeds but perennial weeds can still be difficult to deal with, especially at the borders of the garden. Ironically, field horsetail doesn't seem to grow in the hay fields, making for a more manageable garden in that respect. The pests the two gardens deal with can also vary, mainly when it comes to deer and rabbits. Our native cottontail rabbits prefer the habitat of shrubs close to the small garden where they have plenty of cover to run to if their vegetable garden meal is interrupted. The hay field has no cover for them and so they're not a problem there. The deer however, don't mind the open and are keen on beet tops, but they don't come close to the house and so have never been a problem in the small garden.

The small garden is often the central hub of activity. It's where my four compost bins are as well as the chicken run and coop that I too use to make compost. The chickens has access to the compost bins which makes for top quality compost as the birds add fertility with their manure and help to turn the compost as they scratch around. The scraps from the garden supplement their diet, saving on feed costs and resulting in happier and healthier birds. Plant and animal life is deeply connected in nature and I believe it is important to replicate this in the garden as much as possible.

The small garden has a few other notable and interesting features. Two polycarbonate greenhouses that act as a nursery, season extender and a place to grow especially heat loving plants like cucumber, peppers and eggplant. Also, every other 100' long beds have a trellis system in place with cedar posts spaced 10' apart. Each post has a dwarf rootstock apple tree. There are eight apple varieties and over fifty trees in the garden. 2024 was the first apple harvest and hopefully there will be many more to come.

The total size of the combined market gardens is under one acre but the overall size is growing each year. The plan is to have the total size at over one acre in the coming years. Follow along if you want to know more!

Myy email address isconnorsgarden@outlook.com and my instagram @connorsgarden_, and Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067837640789

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Kane Haggett
Batcombe, Somerset

Kane Haggett

Batcombe, Somerset

The photo shows my no dig allotment in Batcombe, Somerset.

I was inspired by Charles to start no dig growing for both health and a fascination for nature. I am coming into my second year now on this 300m2 plot and have been amazed by my results so far.

I currently grow a range of outdoor vegetables, with a recent addition of a 12ft x 20ft polytunnel which I plan to use for seed saving and indoor vegetables.

I have started to incorporate ornamental flowers for biodiversity and I’m fascinated by compost making with some good results in my first year.

My instagram is @kane.haggett if anyone wishes to get in touch!

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Eleanor Reed
Rock Hill, South Carolina

Eleanor Reed

Rock Hill, South Carolina

I started no-dig in my back garden (we generally say “yard” in the US) during COVID lockdown.

The first year it was a plot 12 x 15 feet. We had compost/dirt/manure combination delivered and wheelbarrowed it over to our cardboard covered plot. It was approximately 12 inches deep with soil.

I planted tomatoes and flowers (zinnia, cosmos and echinacea) the first year.

The second year I added 2 more plots. One is 10 x 15, and a smaller one 6 x 4 feet. Same cardboard and soil combo.

Planted melons, butternut squash and Brussel sprouts, along with the mandatory tomatoes.

Found it is too hot here in SC for Brussel sprouts, just about right for the melons and holy cow the squash went crazy. Some squash vines were 40 feet long. We still have barrels of squash left, after giving away as much as possible and making tons of squash soup.

The calendar I received for Christmas has been illuminating. Love the YouTube videos. Thank you.

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Annie Cunningham
Wellington, New Zealand

Annie Cunningham

Wellington, New Zealand

My garden has been No Dig since the first lockdown. I did some of Charle's courses, Skills Growing and From Seed to Harvest.

I started with 4 original garden beds and now have 14 of various sizes.

We've had very high winds all summer here in Wellington which has kept knocking the plants back. Very dry and temps in the high 20's.

I'm almost self sufficient in compost and my wormary is doing very well too.

My vision is impaired but I've found using the no dig method, there are generally less weeds unless I miss them, however, I now think of weeds as compost inputs.

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Kathryn Levesque
Sabattus, Maine

Kathryn Levesque

Sabattus, Maine

Absolutely LOVE Charles Dowding and his magical ways!

The photo is of my greenhouse and garden. This was all put in last year, so it’s not much to look at just yet. But my sons gave me the greenhouse for my Mother’s Day gift and the season was short, but plentiful! I had enough for 6 households!

I’m in central Maine, northern New England, zone 5. I’ve been gardening for many years and then found Charles and it changed everything for me!

The plan is to expand this year. As a side note, I also run my tarot reading business, Olde Thyme Tarot, out of my greenhouse so that people have the benefit of grounding holistically.

This year will be the first year full season, selling herbs, veggies and flowers along with items in my Apothecary Shop located within the greenhouse.

We have events in the garden, like last year’s Witches Night in October. A fun and exciting way to celebrate the end of the growing season and giving people a chance to enjoy the gardens and greenhouse at the same time.

My website is www.OldeThymeTarot.com.

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Jane Denholm
Hungerford, Berkshire

Jane Denholm

Hungerford, Berkshire

I follow Mr No Dig, have 6 x 4 ft compost bins, which neighbours contribute to.

Only leeks and Brussels in bed this time of year, all else in store.

Photo shows my polytunnel with useful crops for winter although garlic remains till June!

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Marina Mei
Limassol, Cyprus

Marina Mei

Limassol, Cyprus

I have just started my No dig vegetable garden in my back yard! I am so excited!                    

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The Farmhouse at Redcoat
Hitchin, Hertfordshire

The Farmhouse at Redcoat

Hitchin, Hertfordshire

I do the gardens at The Farmhouse at Redcoats which is a hotel and wedding venue.

We started a No Dig kitchen garden last year to supply the restaurant and weddings with home grown produce.

With a late start last year we managed to get quite a bit of produce, even hosting a home grown supper club which was a 5 course meal using nearly only homegrown veg.

We are excited to see what we can do this year.

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Homeacres
Somerset

Homeacres

Somerset

The pioneer of No Dig, Charles lives at his farm in Homeacres Somerset.

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Margaret Ahlers
Keller, Texas

Margaret Ahlers

Keller, Texas

I have been following Mr. Dowding for about 5 years. I am a Master Gardner and am trying to spread the word about no dig in Texas USA!

Thanks to all your videos and no dig book I received a few years ago as a Christmas present, I am all in.

About three years ago I dug up all of the shrubs in front of my house, laid down cardboard topped with about 6" of compost. Then I started planting roses and perennials.

Also started no dig in my vegetable garden and have had excellent results!

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Amanda Healy
Salmesbury, Preston, Lancashire

Amanda Healy

Salmesbury, Preston, Lancashire

I am based in Lancashire, Goosefoot Woodcraft and Permaculture.

I have been doing no dig since i started veg growing a few years back. I have just under 3 acres, most of the land is for my ponies, but I have an area for my polytunnel and veg and herb growing. I manage the land as sustainably as possible. The hedges are not cut, certain areas I am laying the old hawthorns. I planted 150 trees 13 years ago and I am on with coppicing and using the wood for various projects. I have a lot of horse muck which I bag up and leave at the gate, I also deliver. I use Miscanthus as a horse bedding this rots down really quickly.

I am retired, but have had to return to part time work. I manage on my own but am looking for likeminded people to share the growing. I have workshops planned for this summer to hopefully bring in some income.

I have been following Charles for years maybe from when I did my Permaculture course a while back. The no dig was a life saver for me, I'm learning all the time, I hope this year to be more organised with my succession planting and planning!

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John Collet
Verona, Illinois

John Collet

Verona, Illinois

Charles Dowding videos and books made me a much better gardener.  

I stopped tilling 7 years ago and sold my rototiller 4 years ago.  My garden has gotten better and better since I stopped tilling.  

Thank you for all the information you have provided over the years.  

My email is johnsheritagegarden@gmail.com

The photo is after applying leaves covered with compost in November.

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Jerry Anderson
Borrowash, Derby

Jerry Anderson

Borrowash, Derby

I transitioned to no dig in 2019 after 30 years of conventional vegetable growing. I have noticed a significant improvement in plant growth and resilience over the last 4 years.

At the time of writing (Feb) my fellow gardeners are all straining their backs and wiping their brows cultivating their weedy plots.  No such excursions for me as I look upon my beautiful weed free composted beds.  

My major issue has been horsetail which I have been ruthlessly removing as soon as it appears. The battle is not yet over, however the horsetail's vigour is significantly reduced.  This is a fight that I'm confident I shall win.  I have grass paths separating me from neighbouring plots which are mown regularly. This prevents ingress from other plots.

Top Tips:

Hand weed regularly.

Become passionate about compost making (its good fun).

Buy lots of fleece and fine netting.

Grow all plants (except parsnips and carrots) in module trays, then plant out

Give plants enough room to grow.

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Daniel Sofus Poulsen
Loddes, France

Daniel Sofus Poulsen

Loddes, France

I have been a a follower of Charles' vids and books for 4 years now and the word abundance now means something not sure where i am heading but each year seems to spawn a new bed 🙂.

My own roots (and if a velta is no dig?) go back 1000 years as originally a Faroe Islander in a small village called Sydrugota, my dad taught me what in English is called I think lazy bed, this name put me off.  

( Velta ) the practice is very much still alive in Faroe today, but it took Charles’s enthusiasm, books and videos to help me rediscover the pleasure of natural cultivation crofting  🙂  

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Beatrix and Karl von Kempis
Herrenkohlern, Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

Beatrix and Karl von Kempis

Herrenkohlern, Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

We have a small plot of land in a village called Herrenkohlern in South Tyrol (Italy) very close to Bolzano (capital of South Tyrol) where we have started a vegetable garden according to the No Dig approach.

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Cropwell Community Garden
Cropwell Butler, Nottinghamshire

Cropwell Community Garden

Cropwell Butler, Nottinghamshire

Cropwell Community Garden is a no dig and agroecological community garden project.

Located on a piece of land once called 'the dumping ground', the plot was extremely overgrown whilst also covered in scrap and other waste.

Using no-dig and agroecological principles we have been able to build biodiversity, soil health, and community. We grow without the use of synthetic fertilisers and damaging agricultural chemicals. Increasing soil fertility through no-dig and organic amendments helps us grow nutrient dense produce and a healthy garden!

One of our aims is to integrate as many closed loop systems as we can, such as making our own plant feeds, rainwater harvesting, and different composting methods. We also work to maintain open pollinated seed and crop diversity, recognising this as a fundamental for biodiverse ecosystems and food sovereignty.

Xanthea Heynes
Founder and Director

WEBSITE: https://cropwellcommunitygarden.cargo.site/

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Greenfields School and Community Garden
York

Greenfields School and Community Garden

York

Seven No Dig demonstration beds at the site.

Workshops and weekly sessions are held at the garden.

Any surplus produce is shared with a local Independent Food bank.


Greenfields: School & Community Garden

Follow us on Twitter

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Audrey and Duncan Miller
York

Audrey and Duncan Miller

York

We have a bungalow with a small back garden of about 80 sq metres. It is divided into beds which are all No Dig.

It is almost exclusively used for growing over 100 different edible plants including some fruit trees.

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Eliana Antún
Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Eliana Antún

Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina

I found No dig´s technique and Charles´s channel through Wini Walbaum, who I started following both during the lockdown.

I have my edible garden at home, it comes and goes. It is not so productive right now, but I persue giving it more time for cultivating more vegetables, flowers, and fruits.  I started a small allotment with no dig´s technique, a few weeks ago.

In April, I will start at home a project of arts, free play, edible garden and nature for kids. It is called  Muca Palaposa and you could check it out on instagram as @mucapalaposa.juego

I will be uploading the progress.

I share that it is deeply important for kids and adults to care for nature, to be in contact, play with it, to expand our creativity, imagination and free play. It makes us more present, connected, loving and caring as a whole. And I believe is what we need, to go to our roots.

In the near future, I have the intention to make a gardening club with the allotment more settled. In the meantime, gardening  will be a part of the workshop, but not as the main focus who guides all.

I leave a text of the project:


Muca Palaposa is a garden art studio for kids, to free play, to make art crafts, to animate, to cultivate vegetables and flowers, and to explore and care for nature. We created this space to expand and free children's creativity and curiosity. We are located at Hurlingham, Buenos Aires in Argentina. You can follow us on instagram @mucapalaposa.juego.  We will start in April 2024.

I will send add a photo in the near future, when I have everything more settled.

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Henrik Melsom Edvardsen
Sjernarøyane, Stavanger region, Norway

Henrik Melsom Edvardsen

Sjernarøyane, Stavanger region, Norway

I was fortunate late 2022 to borrow a piece of land which used to be a vegetable patch some 30 years ago, turned into pasture, and neglected for the last decade.

As I’m commuting to work from Stavanger to Oslo on a weekly basis, the development takes time. And the plot has to be able to look after itself for days or weeks.

The last beds will be made this spring.  

No dig is fantastic in this respect.

The local farmers was sceptic and are now amazed by the productivity, as are passers-by.  The ambition is to develop the plot further into a very local community market garden.

I start in my greenhouse in town, transported in the back of the car :-)

In the neighborhood we have a tiny summer house.

And here I’ve run my no dig kitchen garden for 15 years, gradually expanding towards forest garden, including flowers for bouquets as spring presents.

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Ben Papworth
Milton Keynes

Ben Papworth

Milton Keynes

I got my allotment back in October of last year - the soil is super heavy clay and I stumbled on Charles’ videos.

I knew about No-Dig but he made it so simple to follow.

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David Derbyshire
Nailsea, North Somerset

David Derbyshire

Nailsea, North Somerset

My allotment is based in Nailsea, North Somerset on the Whitesfield Road allotment site.

It is a small (43 sq.m) plot on which I'm intending to have 10 no-dig beds 1.2m x 2m. Currently I've laid out the first 5 beds.

- Bed 1 is planted with shallots and garlic

- Bed 2 is planted with onions

- Bed 3 will be sown with spring onions interplanted with carrots.

Brassicas and tomatoes to follow

I am growing veg for self-sufficiency and I'm spending the weekend at Homeacres in April to learn everything I can from Charles!

You can follow my journey via Instagram @plotw7e

My email address is: svejk1969@aol.com

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Quinten – de Woldtuin
Groningen, The Netherlands

Quinten – de Woldtuin

Groningen, The Netherlands

The Woldtuin is a No-Dig CSA farm with 2500m² of No-Dig vegetables located on a 4.5 hectare permaculture farm called Verbaarum.

We give our vegetables to our members from May to December, and we grow everything from spinach to aubergines to outdoor-melons. We can't afford a greenhouse (yet) so we specialise in outdoor growing of tropical crops such as paprika's, peppers, tomatoes, melons, aubergines, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and more.

We grow most of our crops within a 1 hectare food forest that was planted in 2020 so we're also beginning to harvest lots of berries and nuts and also the first apples and cherries.

Instagram: @de_woldtuin

Website: www.dewoldtuin.nl

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Tracey Paddon - Ålunden
Töreboda ,Sweden

Tracey Paddon - Ålunden

Töreboda ,Sweden

We moved from Britain to Sweden in 2017. And in 2020 we bought a tiny farm of 2.1 hectares, Ålunden. In the 70s it had been a strawberry farm. When we bought it it was a field of compacted clay which flooded in spring and autumn and was like concrete in the summer.

Luckily I found Charles and no dig .Living in zone 4 with snow and temperatures of -20, I had to learn a new way of gardening and sadly many plants I grew in the UK will not overwinter here! My bay trees and globe artichokes are favourites. I have even tried winter gardening, which involves using snow and boxes to germinate seeds. It sometimes works!

We have a big greenhouse and various beds made of compost, well rotted manure, grass clippings, leaf mold and sand. We add a lot of grass clippings to keep the moisture in, the weeds down and provides a bit of extra warmth and nutrients.  It seems to work really well as we seem to grow ginormous veg! Our veg grows in amongst huge sunflowers and other flowers which pop up everywhere. We grow without fertilisers, pesticides etc and rely on my happy toads, ladybirds and ground beetles to sort out my plants problems.

Now 4 years later I am growing fruit, veg and herbs and selling my produce to the local community from my little honesty shop and directly to customers as part of a local producers network.

Our website is alunden.se

Our email address is info@alunden.se

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Warren and Stacey Connors
Elizabethtown, Tasmania

Warren and Stacey Connors

Elizabethtown, Tasmania

My wife and I do no dig vegetable gardening in Elizabethtown Tasmania

We live on a hectare and are currently using about 400m2 for vegetables and expanding. We supply most of our own food as well as a local market at Parkham.

We have about 30 chickens and a horse and we make our own compost which is 1 cubic meter each week. We're able to do this using Geoff Lawton's quick compost method.

The photo shows a top garden near the house which is one of 4 vege gardens.

We don't know anyone in our area doing no dig, and it would be nice to meet others if possible – our email address is: warrenconnors333@gmail.com

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Kate Heffernan
Portlaoise, Ireland

Kate Heffernan

Portlaoise, Ireland

In 2020, I left behind city life, moving from Dublin to my hometown of Portlaoise, where I became the custodian of a weedy pasture on the death of my father.

Since then, on a steep learning curve, I've been converting it into a productive, no-dig, suburban vegetable garden.

Email: kate@kateheffernan.ie

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kateheffernanstagram/

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Angela Parsons
Cilcain, Mold

Angela Parsons

Cilcain, Mold

I have been following Charles and his philosophy for No Dig for three years.  We are 600 feet up a hillside in a lovely little village. I make my own compost which is very good.

I am a firm believer in No Dig as it has saved me lots of time in weeding!  Useful as I am a keen grower of herbaceous plants and we have opened our garden twice under the NGS.

I am 70 years old this year and can still manage to look after our one acre garden of woodland plants, trees, perennials, vegetables and large lawn (husband mows though).

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Be Kassapian – Be in the Kitchen
Effingham, Surrey

Be Kassapian – Be in the Kitchen

Effingham, Surrey

It's a very exciting year as I kick start my no dig venture 😊

The photo shows my new beds at the start of Februray 2024, stlll with a bit of bed edge straightening/more manure/paths to complete!

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Jane Wynn – Community Green Growthers
Coventry

Jane Wynn – Community Green Growthers

Coventry

I’m a No Dig gardener myself (both in my garden and allotment) and have recently started a community grow-your-own project here in Coventry.  I’m calling this the Community Green Growthers and we’re setting up plots to grow fruit and veg within communities who are being hit by the cost of living crisis the most and could really benefit from locally grown, organic free food.  My pilot site is at Stoke St Michael’s Church in Coventry, which has an active food bank and lunch club so we know when we do get a harvest, it will be going directly to those who need it most. I’m also in touch with a potential second site, who are concidentally another church, in another part of the city also dealing with a variety of social issues.

Our volunteers are a mix of experienced gardeners and those who have never touched a garden spade before. They have now all been introduced to No Dig, if they weren’t aware already, and I shall be using this on any future sites too.  There is lots of organic material on site and we’ve been planning and creating our composting area and have now created our first 3 No Dig beds.  We had a work session today and volunteers have gone away with packets of seeds and various growing containers with instructions about getting these germinated on their windowsills, so we have something to sow in the beds in a few months time.  We do have a small, but enthiusiastic, core of 5-6 regular volunteers but I’m hoping we can get more people on board as the plot grows and the weather warms.  We also discussed some ideas today about how we can get the local primary school involved and I’m enthused about the suggestions the volunteers are coming up with.  Whilst I might be supporting them in setting this up, I’m very clear that this will be their area as I feel it’s important they have a sense of ownership as they’re more likely to keep this going as a long-term project.

I’m now in the process of setting up a CIO as I know there are grants available for projects like this and I want to be able to bring some of these resources directly into communities who could benefit the most.  Our pilot site (and what will be our registered business address) is Stoke St Michael’s Church, Walsgrave Road, Coventry, CV2 4BG, and would be very happy to be put in touch with anybody else in the area who’d like to know more and/or get involved.  I’ve also been invited to be part of a steering group the LA are setting up, called ‘Coventry Grows’, so I’m also linking in with other local groups and contacts who are trying to green the city.

The photo was take in February 2024 – I'm in the cowboy hat on the left with a couple of our volunteers, and our brand new beds.

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David and Siggy Martin
Newport Pagnell

David and Siggy Martin

Newport Pagnell

We have an allotment in Newport Pagnell, 10 minutes from our home and have been using the No Dig method since we saw Charles at Yeo Valley a few years ago, using his book and calendar as guidance.

We are pleased with the results so far and also enjoy reading Charles’ news and advice each month.

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Sophie Macfadyen
Near Sheffield

Sophie Macfadyen

Near Sheffield

We live half a mile from Sheffield city centre and are fortunate enough to have about a third of an acre of garden. We have a productive fruit and veg garden which is fully no dig, powered by our own compost.

We are permanently improving and adjusting what and how we grow things as we learn and the climate changes.

Photo taken in January 2024 - a very wintery garden!

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Martin Horridge
Smisby, Leicestershire

Martin Horridge

Smisby, Leicestershire

Although I have had my allotment for seven or eight years, I started no dig three years ago in 2021 and I am now reaping the benefits of increased yields for less work which is wonderful as I still work part time.

The pallet bays of home made compost provide a plentiful supply of compost.

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The John Burns Foundation Garden
Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire

The John Burns Foundation Garden

Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire

We are a Charity based in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.

The Charity is The John Burns Foundation and we offer lots of services for the local community and I work on the horticulture side of the charity.  

So we have groups and individuals of all ages who come and volunteer in the garden and we teach other groups about growing their own food.  

We have a teaching kitchen on site and use as much of our produce as possible and the surplus vegetables are taken home by volunteers and staff.  

We have a small area of raised beds at the moment and a polytunnel.  For this year we have a larger area planned for more vegetable, fruit and flower production which will be no-dig.    

The photo is of a school group in our raised bed area.

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Holy Trinity C of E Primary School
Sunningdale

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School

Sunningdale

We are a school allotment, started in September 2023, using no dig.

This is a very new project, that we hope will grow into something really wonderful for the school and community.

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Rachel Soulsby
Near Buckingham, Buckinghamshire

Rachel Soulsby

Near Buckingham, Buckinghamshire

I started No Dig nearly three years ago. After great success with vegetables, this year we put flower beds in and have had fantastic dahlias, sweet peas and cosmos.

Propagation and compost making have been significantly improved this year after attending a Homeacres course.

We still are eating homegrown vegetables at the end of January and have lots remaining.

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John Tuckwel
Braidwood, NSW, Australia

John Tuckwel

Braidwood, NSW, Australia

I have been following Charles' teachings for the past 5 years and even wrote an article for our local Braidwood Garden Club and did a demonstration our establishing a bed at a meeting.

With my encouragement, my sister in Crieff, Scotland also now follows Charles' approach.

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Antony Burch
Milton Abbas, Blandford Forum, Dorset

Antony Burch

Milton Abbas, Blandford Forum, Dorset

I have now been a no dig gardener for 5 years and love it. I especially enjoyed listening to Charles when he gave a talk in Dorchester.

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Meredith Kitz
Oregon, OH

Meredith Kitz

Oregon, OH

My mom and have been using Charles's sage advice and method since spring of 2022. I never thought growing lettuce would be possible - and I became known as the "lettuce lady" in our neighborhood. We are in Oregon, OH - a suburb of Toledo, OH, about 6 miles (10km or so) from the southwest corner of the Great Lake of Erie. Our soil in the southern basin of Lake Erie is so very very fertile and loamy, that we don't have to do much to grow about anything - except wine grapes! They don't struggle and love the soil, so they don't get the complexity - though people are trying!

I greatly appreciate Charles and his team - the energy, camaraderie, and pace are pure magic. Thank you.

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Kara Monkiewicz
Queensferry, Deeside

Kara Monkiewicz

Queensferry, Deeside

I have two no dig beds in my garden.

I only started following the no dig method last year but I did get a really good first harvest, continual salad through the summer, good size pumpkins for autumn and have learnt lessons.

It’s only a small space but I have more plans for this year.


Picture is from May 2023

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Serdean Darius
Floresti, Romania

Serdean Darius

Floresti, Romania

I'm a huge Charles Dowding fan and of course a no dig practitioner.

I've started my garden 6 years ago when I've had the opportunity to use a piece of land near my home. Initial I've used dig method but soon after I discovered Charles's YouTube channel I've started to use this method and I'm using it ever since with amazing results.

In 2018 I've started with 3 raised beds 1X2m and now I have 16 raised beds of various sizes. I keep my garden free of any pesticides or other chemicals, I make my own compost and I make my own plants from  biodynamic and organic seeds. You can get in touch at darius23cj@yahoo.com.



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David Williams
Cwmystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales

David Williams

Cwmystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales

My garden is a challenge as it's on a steep southwest-facing slope on the side of a hill at almost 1000 feet above sea level overlooking the village. The soil is very shallow, not even a trowel depth before you hit mountain rock. No dig is the only option. Any meaningful edible growing has to be done in raised beds.

I'm very interested in soil health and how it can affect plants, particularly the way soil life interacts with edibles and eventually ourselves. I try to push the boundaries to see what can be grown here and when. Anything I transplant into beds isn't kept in formal rows. I'd rather mix the edibles which confuses pests.


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Nalle & Outi Öhman
Pargas, Finland

Nalle & Outi Öhman

Pargas, Finland

We started our new life and garden in 2016. We were not aware then that we would become pioneers of a rather unknown way of garden cultivation, start a company, not to mention about us opening the garden to the public.

On many occasions we have been carried away with a burning need to find solutions to problems. Now, in the year 2023, we are cultivating with the NO DIG concept for the second year and our main crop is Tallbacka Mix salad mixture. We have also started to have groups visiting. Our garden has become a way of life and a dear workplace that gives structure to life. We firmly trust in the NO DIG-method, but there is still much for us to develop and new things to learn.

The changing climate is a concern to all gardeners and friends of nature; but we think that NO DIG will be the best choice for the future. The compost and compost making is central to a NO DIG gardener. Throughout the season we work to gather enough material for a qualitative compost that we can spread on beds to secure the crop for the next year.

We also want our beds in the garden to be neat and beautiful. In the spirit of an edible forest garden we have mixed vegetables, bushes, trees, herbs and flowers.

We prefer old traditional spices and look for those with the best taste. Many rare berries and edible perennial vegetables grow in our garden and it's a great joy to find new, and sometimes even old, species for the garden.

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Jen Larsen
Corvallis, Oregon, USA

Jen Larsen

Corvallis, Oregon, USA

This is my Pacific Northwest no dig garden, zone 8b, on a .3 acre lot. Our growing conditions are very similar to those in Britain, so following along with Charles' planting at Homeacres is especially fun. Lately our pattern is a dry, hot summer followed by a wet, cold winter - we ask a lot of our garden plants! I enjoy growing a range of vegetables, berries and other foragables in my "suburban hedgerow", a few fruit trees, and citrus in my greenhouse. To me, making homemade compost is just as enjoyable as growing plants, and my chickens are happy to contribute!

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Susan
Wild Wool Barn, Ennerdale, Lake District, UK

Susan

Wild Wool Barn, Ennerdale, Lake District, UK

Lake district independent hostel, with organic no dig garden growing fruit veg and natural dye plants.

Overlooking Ennerdale Water. It is uniquely peaceful, and I think the most beautiful smallholding in the country.


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Nick Grow
Waynesboro, Virginia, US

Nick Grow

Waynesboro, Virginia, US

Ever since discovering Charles' work, I've adopted no-dig methods in my garden with great success. The weeds are few and the harvest plentiful! I also have two young boys who enjoy planting and harvesting alongside me, and I'm happy I can teach them the easy way to garden.

Email: nickcgrow@gmail.com

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Simon
Kunszállás, Hungary

Simon

Kunszállás, Hungary

We are based in southern Hungary and relocated here to a small old farm dwelling three years ago. The land was awful, 4 hectares in total and whilst the house was being renovated I set about the garden and potential growing spaces. Last season gave us over 500 kilos of produce so all my learning of a new climate (originate from UK) paid off.

The majority of our work is no-dig but we have to adapt and it works. Make our own compost and, like Charles, also buy in green waste too.


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John
Approach Rd, Bethnal Green, London

John

Approach Rd, Bethnal Green, London

We've been working with the blessing of the former school's Trustees at a disused school in inner city East London for about a year, with a group of volunteers from marginal sections of the community (people who have had issues with criminal justice, homelessness, addiction, social isolation, mental health or have come from the refugee community). We are trying to build a community composting project that will take in waste food and green waste from the local area and compost, then use the compost to grow vegetables on site on a no dig, organic basis. We have cleared the site, build new beds, are installing a native hedgerow, small orchard and will be experimenting with mycoculture and hydroponics, as well as growing leaf vegetables and herbs for local consumption from a series of raised beds. It's early days but we hope to make something magical at the site. We'd like to thank Charles for donating a starter delivery of compost (which we hauled onto the roof) that helped us to grow our first harvest of squash and kale. The food grown was donated to a local food bank, to a group of women dealing with chronic mental and physical health issues and a local refugee centre.

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John
George Green's School, 100 Manchester Rd, London

John

George Green's School, 100 Manchester Rd, London

We have been working on the garden at an inner city secondary school in East London for about two years and renovated the space implementing no dig on all the growing areas. The children have weekly sessions where they learn how to grow their own food from seed, about rewilding, conservation and the waste cycle. The children have a composting area (where we do compost waste food as well as garden waste), a greenhouse, two ponds (which the children built), fruit trees, and a polytunnel. We also have an apiary and are training up a new generation of junior beekepers. We've had two years of great harvests, taught the children about how food and nature can co-exist (and given them a taste of yummy greens they'd never eaten) and had a lot of fun. Charles has been very supportive with his advice and won plenty of young people over to the no dig movement.

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Mireille
Tweed Heads, Australia

Mireille

Tweed Heads, Australia

I’m a gardener and have been gardening as No Dig at a number of gardens : my local community garden where I am a member, in France in Kitchen Gardens, and recently installing No Dig raised beds to share the minimal till method with with clients.

I really love No Dig and minimal till as a way to make food with living soils.

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