no dig/lasagne method

**Two_Sheds** · 16-12-2010, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

infested with brambles and nettles, will using the no dig/lasagne method suppress them?

Probably not. They have really tough, really hardy roots which will just keep coming up in your beds if you don't dig out all the roots. I still had them coming up after 2 years of digging, pulling and glyphosating (I think they're dead now)

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

is this method suitable for things like parsnips, celeriac, and onions? i was only planning on having the walls 8 inches high so would i need to dig down a few inches to make it a bit deeper?

Onions and celeriac aren't deep rooted. Parsnips are, so you will have to fork over (loosen) the soil first

Let me do a search for you

**Nordmead** · 16-12-2010, 03:20 PM

ahh thanks two sheds

so it may weaken them a bit but i'll still have weeding to do? i have got rid of alot of the roots (some nearly and inch in diameter

)

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

Onions and celeriac aren't deep rooted. Parsnips are, so you will have to fork over (loosen) the soil first

so just to clarify...parsnips should work in a no dig bed?

**Two_Sheds** · 16-12-2010, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

so it may weaken them a bit but i'll still have weeding to do? i have got rid of alot of the roots

Pulling as they appear will weaken them, they won't give up easily. Best to get those roots out now before the topgrowth starts again

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

so just to clarify...parsnips should work in a no dig bed?

I don't see why not, if you loosen the soil first, get out as many stones as you can

**Mell** · 16-12-2010, 04:40 PM

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

my question is: im going to be building 3 raised beds in my nans garden which is infested with brambles and nettles, will using the no dig/lasagne method suppress them?

If you put a strong lining under the bed it should hold them back. depends how quickly you want them procuctive. Clearing field you cut right back now & spay or weed wipe with a root killer type weedkiller in spring. But if you want to plant in spring...

Anyhow even if you get the weeds chances are the bramble will have seeds which in the soil which will take a while to get rid of !

About to tackle a huge area at my field that I want to turn over to an orchard, its been a wasteland since my son stopped playing on the bmx track be dig there, JCB time !

**Snadger** · 16-12-2010, 04:50 PM

To my mind, and especially where brambles or most other perennial weeds are concerned, no-dig is only no-dig after the land has had a good digging!

Dig once initially then burn the spade!

**solway cropper** · 16-12-2010, 06:48 PM

I agree with Snadge. You can't really have no dig unless you get rid of all the nasties first and that invariably means digging. Annual weeds are easy to deal with but the deep rooted perennial ones have to be grubbed right out. It's taken four years to get my patch into a no dig situation and I've put so much compost on I now need to increase the height of the sides to keep it all in

**Nordmead** · 16-12-2010, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by solway cropper View Post

Annual weeds are easy to deal with but the deep rooted perennial ones have to be grubbed right out.

well i have dug down to a depth of like 3 feet in some places and they go deeper still

i guess ive got alot of work to do.. hope theres enough time before its time to get the onions in..

**solway cropper** · 16-12-2010, 08:07 PM

Well, at three feet you should have got rid of most. Except horsetail if you have that. I read somewhere that their roots can go down fifteen feet or more if conditions are right.

**Nordmead** · 16-12-2010, 08:30 PM

Originally posted by solway cropper View Post

Except horsetail if you have that.

ive been wondering for ages what those plants that look like miniature fir trees were.. they get pulled up as soon as i see them

**Snadger** · 16-12-2010, 08:44 PM

Originally posted by Nordmead View Post

ive been wondering for ages what those plants that look like miniature fir trees were.. they get pulled up as soon as i see them

If you ever have call to go down a coal mine you'll see the mineshaft riddled with marestail roots!

Those roots go deeeeeeeeep!

**Nordmead** · 16-12-2010, 09:25 PM

Originally posted by Snadger View Post

If you ever have call to go down a coal mine you'll see the mineshaft riddled with marestail roots!

Those roots go deeeeeeeeep!

well i must be lucky then cuz these roots on went down a centimetre or so

**Dottie** · 17-12-2010, 12:05 AM

Originally posted by Snadger View Post

If you ever have call to go down a coal mine you'll see the mineshaft riddled with marestail roots!

Those roots go deeeeeeeeep!

That's amazing

**Dottie** · 17-12-2010, 12:30 AM

so just to clarify...parsnips should work in a no dig bed?[/QUOTE]

I have successfully grow parsnips in my no-dig raised beds, but as parsnips grow so deeply, it does disturb the soil when you have to dig them out. Whereas the idea of no-dig is to not disturb the soil (once prepared), thereby not bringing any weed seeds to the surface.

This winter I have added loads of fresh horse manure to some new raised beds (which previously had some old inherited summer raspberries in the ground). I'm a little concerned that the horse manure will bring a load of grass and weed seeds to those beds, so I'll be covering them with newspaper/cardboard and then plastic sheeting, with just holes made for courgettes and squashes.

All my other beds have had loads of leaf mulch or chicken manure/straw mix. So I've had very few annual weeds to deal with, but really don't feel confident/know if the horse manure will be weed free? Hence my back-up plan to cover up with sheeting and/or more leaf mulch if I'm able.

I put a lot of work into clearing the ground of anything prior to building up into a no-dig raised bed, but you only have to do work once. Then it's easy peasy and only an occasional weed dares to show it's self on my plot.

**gojiberry** · 17-12-2010, 08:17 AM

Parsnips need a continuous soil texture to stop them forking. I have found that even going from a MPC (in loo rolls) into ordinary soil can cause them to fork. Get a wrecking bar and make a conical hole about 18in deep and as big round as you want your parsnips to be, fill with MPC and sow your parsnips into the top. You will get perfect parsnips using this method. Wrecking bar will cost about �15 from B&Q but will last a two lifetimes.

Ian

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