Seems to be an informed opinion?

I've always been a Non-digging gardener - because I'm lazy and didn't see the point of it when forests grow without digging. If I'm anything, I'm a Forest gardener/permaculturalist.
I'd never heard of Charles Dowding when I formed my "style" - now he's in your face everywhere.
I have several of his books but, once you've read one, you've read them all - as each one just jiggles the chapters around.
He's in the fortunate position of making money from his garden, can employ people to do the work and buy in loads of compost or whatever he uses to cover his beds. Much like the Gardener's World crew. Many of us question how Monty Don/Alan Titchmarsh's gardens can always be perfect and weed free - with CD's it is assumed that it is because of his methods. I'm just a sceptic but, there's a company that is selling big  bags of "No Dig compost" for about £100 and I'm sure many people will buy into it.

Veggie sits back and waits for the flak.

As with most tv/online gardeners they have a team behind them creating the gorgeous gardens. I can appreciate them, but usually muddle along in my own little way. If you follow all the advice you'd have no money left, and as you know I'm tight! No flak from me V.

No flak from me either Veggie.

I agree with everything you say and as for TV and youtube personalities I just take from them what I think looks feasible and 'Doctor' it to suit my situation.
I usually start off with my own ideas and then go online to see if their are any other nutters in the world with a similar idea!

I planted out my main-crop potatoes today. I did dig holes for them and gave them each some home made compost, recycling organic matter in situ. I do tend to dig but mainly because I don't keep on top of the weeds. The main one is probably grass which seems to seed all year round. I've not got round to the patch I grew onions in last year and it is now looking not much different from a lawn. I'll roughly dig it over just before planting out pumpkins and squash there with a bit of homemade fertilizer and compost.

While we're, sort of, talking about No digging , I wondered how many of you have heard of W E Shewell-Cooper? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Shewell-Cooper

I have a book of his "Compost gardening" (Pub 1974) that I read long before I'd heard of Charles Dowding. Its one of many that he wrote about using compost as a mulch and not digging the soil. Its an interesting read.

No flack from me either Veggie, I stopped watching gardening programs they were just to "perfect" to be believable for me.

While we're, sort of, talking about No digging , I wondered how many of you have heard of W E Shewell-Cooper? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Shewell-Cooper

I have a book of his "Compost gardening" (Pub 1974) that I read long before I'd heard of Charles Dowding. Its one of many that he wrote about using compost as a mulch and not digging the soil. Its an interesting read.

Found it at a reasonable price on fleebay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compost-Garde...1195.m1851

I still watch Monty Don, but as much for his ideas and design and musings and passion as anything else - I love his books that are about gardens rather than gardening.

I'm a no-digger with moles. So I mulch (compost, grass clippings, cardboard, even awful black plastic that was left by the builders), I don't have to weed that much, but often leave the weeds for the beneficial insects if they aren't going to take over too much, but then dig out the mole runs before planting. It works for me because I'm naturally lazy and am happy with a less productive plot but one that is more diverse in terms of nature, But I'm lucky, with a lot of space to play with and few neighbours to grumble about my weeds! I tried to replicate the way nature works before I'd heard about no-dig.

My neighbour only prunes when there's no moon, arguing that the cut is less likely to bleed because there is less of a pull on the sap. Interesting.

Each to their own, but I will always try and talk people out of wholesale use of herbicides and pesticides, or growing a monocultre.* 


*whispers - lawns

While we're, sort of, talking about No digging , I wondered how many of you have heard of W E Shewell-Cooper? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Shewell-Cooper

I have a book of his "Compost gardening" (Pub 1974) that I read long before I'd heard of Charles Dowding. Its one of many that he wrote about using compost as a mulch and not digging the soil. Its an interesting read.

Found it at a reasonable price on fleebay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compost-Garde...1195.m1851

Thanks for that Vinny / Veggie

I've purchased one, will look forward to reading it in the beer garden

I find the book interesting because we're so used to the CD way of No Dig (hate that expression - its like saying a diet is "No Eat".......but I digress as usual). S-Cs is a book of its time - using peat for example. IIRC he advocates a 1" layer of mulch to cover the bed at the outset - and that's it - not annual topping up with 2".
He also mentions digging out perennial weeds to prepare the ground and there's a bit about rotovating. Its a while since I've read it so don't remember all the detail. You'll have to read it yourself.