tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post846479946236452926..comments2023-09-09T22:19:34.446+10:00Comments on Our Permaculture Life: Morag's Simple & Successful No-Dig Garden Methodour permaculture lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-44337117863489137732017-12-11T10:58:21.630+10:002017-12-11T10:58:21.630+10:00Great question. When things get really dry, one wa...Great question. When things get really dry, one way to get it nice and moist again is to stick the hose under the paper on the uphill side (highest point) and gently let it soak. Before things get that dry I usually try to do, as you suggest, water the plants at the base. <br /><br />Depending on how your pathways are set up, you could actually have an overhead sprinkler to give the garden a good soak. I do this sometimes because I have designed my little pathways to be water-collecting soaks.<br /><br />A good idea is to regularly stick your finger in under the paper to check moisture levels and then water if necessary.<br /><br />I hope that helps. Happy gardeningour permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-85048602210686268192017-12-10T16:53:24.809+10:002017-12-10T16:53:24.809+10:00Hi Morag
I am using many of your methods, thank yo...Hi Morag<br />I am using many of your methods, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have changed to your no dig method recently. We have had many weeks without rain and finding the soil is getting drier under the newspaper despite watering. Do you just water the plants at the base where they were planted or the whole mulched area. Its seems the water is not penetrating through the newspaper layer or have I done something wrong.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09497936894890980950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-85868779377698698172017-05-06T15:28:46.917+10:002017-05-06T15:28:46.917+10:00Just found you on YouTube recently and you really ...Just found you on YouTube recently and you really got my attention when you were forking the ground barefoot. <br /><br />Just finished a new bed per your instructions except used straw bales instead of seedless hay. Looked pretty good until the chickens made little nests in the straw. They love it.<br /><br />I live in Oakland California on about 1/3 of an acre, so we call ourselves urban farmers. We have a fruit orchard with apples, plums, peaches, blueberries, cherries, figs, lemons and some olive trees. Our garden is a re-start every year except for the strawberries, kale, artichokes and asparagus, so hope to make that different soon using permaculture methods. We have 8 layer hens and bees to help us out.<br />Thanks for all the information and the time you spend to share it with us.<br /><br />Auriel Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13956518153244859286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-30030275194103340812017-01-28T23:00:10.356+10:002017-01-28T23:00:10.356+10:00Slugs? Slaters (woodlice)? How do you do this with...Slugs? Slaters (woodlice)? How do you do this without them exploding and eating everything come spring? Do bulbous weeds give you trouble if present? (e.g. Oxalis, Guildford grass)brucenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-47416277504262027112017-01-24T15:35:52.737+10:002017-01-24T15:35:52.737+10:00Thank you for this very informative article.
Putt...Thank you for this very informative article.<br /><br />Putting the newspaper on top of the new topsoil layer is a fabulous idea.<br /><br />Have you had any experience with swales? What are your thoughts on them?<br /><br />We have a sloping site in the Central West of NSW. Hot, dry summers with 600mm of rain per year. Brown clay soil.<br /><br />Kind regards<br /><br />NarelleNarellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10624033852561700022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-73981056164356793212016-10-15T05:25:50.897+10:002016-10-15T05:25:50.897+10:00Makes so much sense. Thank you so much Morag, I am...Makes so much sense. Thank you so much Morag, I am enjoying learning from you and ingenious young Hugh! :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-67990702526051213172016-09-12T01:09:37.479+10:002016-09-12T01:09:37.479+10:00Hi Morag,
I'm wondering what type of seed free...Hi Morag,<br />I'm wondering what type of seed free mulch you use? Around here (Southeastern U.S.) there is a lot of spoiled hay, but I fear that even though it's spoiled, it may contain a lot of seeds. We've mostly used straw over the years, but lately it seems that there are tons of seeds even within the straw. Just looking for more ideas. Thanks!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12608095046334166359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-66187907377274874332016-04-29T01:07:45.476+10:002016-04-29T01:07:45.476+10:00Hi Ruth, You can either sprinkle it on the ground ...Hi Ruth, You can either sprinkle it on the ground as the first layer in the no-dig, or use it to make compost. There are commercial varieties available - check for an organic certification stamp on the bag. Happy Gardening!<br />our permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-1969867461878370212016-04-28T23:56:56.301+10:002016-04-28T23:56:56.301+10:00Hi Morag. My daughters and I attended your edible ...Hi Morag. My daughters and I attended your edible spaces Workshop and are excited to get our no dig garden started. How do we prepare our chook manure to use in the garden? And is there a commercial compost/manure we can use to start now? Thanks, Ruth Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03051825068055943585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-79000701749740028082016-03-27T00:32:13.379+10:002016-03-27T00:32:13.379+10:00I plant straight away, unless I have used lots of ...I plant straight away, unless I have used lots of fresh manures and food scraps - but usually I like to compost these (at least partly) to being with. If you have a nice blend under the paper, adding a good handful of finished compost into the hole will let you plant immediately.our permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-44109441189535990342016-03-26T06:23:15.266+10:002016-03-26T06:23:15.266+10:00I have been waiting and waiting for the "nip&...I have been waiting and waiting for the "nip" of Autumn and it's finally here! Now, I can build up my veggie patch again and I'm going to try the newspaper on top as you suggest. I always have heaps of free little seedlings popping up from my compost (I am no master composter:) Do you plant into the pockets of compost straight away or do you let it sit couple of weeks before planting? I usually let it "cook" for a while before I plant but wouldn't mind planting a bit sooner if weather permits.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11573371198907761962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-12245541554005603692016-02-15T12:26:56.909+10:002016-02-15T12:26:56.909+10:00Re: someone's question about toxins in newspap...Re: someone's question about toxins in newspaper ~ here in the US lead has no longer been an ingredient in newsprint ink for many, many years. I'm not sure there are any other toxins, as the paper is something that people are constantly handling. Good question for a bit more research. Grandma Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05202283628795567882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-17937142665637342882016-02-09T11:13:13.050+10:002016-02-09T11:13:13.050+10:00Happy gardening!Happy gardening!our permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-32564449390194616732016-02-09T11:12:52.823+10:002016-02-09T11:12:52.823+10:00Good luck with this. I also find it helps to reduc...Good luck with this. I also find it helps to reduce bending over weeding later on too. Few weeds come through the newspaper layer if done well.our permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-10177567473054933612016-02-08T10:03:19.612+10:002016-02-08T10:03:19.612+10:00Great article. I got some good ideas. Thank you.
Great article. I got some good ideas. Thank you.<br />NTPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11310219498452457335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-27230358445827014402016-02-05T19:08:36.932+10:002016-02-05T19:08:36.932+10:00Nice and clear. going to give this a try. My back ...Nice and clear. going to give this a try. My back won't take the digging anymore.Inch Community Rootshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13353862689178349569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-90046786642708133642016-01-05T01:34:55.757+10:002016-01-05T01:34:55.757+10:00Hi Chrissy, Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing you...Hi Chrissy, Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your success story with doing gardening this way. I agree, it really does help get gardens through dry times. I always use big handfuls of compost too - at the beginning, but also when a gap emerges and I want fill it with something else. I loosen the soil a little with my transplanter, add another big handful of compost and plant another seedling (or seed). our permaculture lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902659828176897984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-21591934241287467332016-01-04T20:24:18.964+10:002016-01-04T20:24:18.964+10:00Great Morag - I have done this too and been very s...Great Morag - I have done this too and been very successful - I started doing this when I lived west of Toowoomba and we had about 4 years of rainfall under about 250mm and I was on tank water. This method just kept in more moisture and when I put newspaper on the bottom the whole system became dry so quickly. I use to plant directly in with a handful of compost too - mainly because I have not wanted to wait! I am enjoying these blogs - keep them coming :-) ChrissyChrissy Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09940662064625296720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-44638318182971005582016-01-03T13:23:43.014+10:002016-01-03T13:23:43.014+10:00Good tips on design Morag. Interested in your comm...Good tips on design Morag. Interested in your comments on the toxins within newspaper. Cityfood Growerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05867709098044760594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-32839659599875825582016-01-03T12:54:31.649+10:002016-01-03T12:54:31.649+10:00I have to star my garden on top of the ground at m...I have to star my garden on top of the ground at my place. We live on an old river bed which means I have tons of river rock very close to the surface. I think I will use the river rocks that have surfaced to build a rock planting bed, I will have to cement them together, but this should give me good drainage in the process. claudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16572555442321120647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-58976196715410012592016-01-03T11:44:35.309+10:002016-01-03T11:44:35.309+10:00What an excellent tip. I've always put cardbo...What an excellent tip. I've always put cardboard/newsprint down first but your method makes way more sense. Thank you, Morag :)Little Home In The Countryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801030191087496810.post-58270051209646694352016-01-03T05:53:21.219+10:002016-01-03T05:53:21.219+10:00Thank you for these clear instructions for a no-di...Thank you for these clear instructions for a no-dig garden. It would be particularly useful for folk with poor soil. veggies couldn't help but do well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com