*The information contained in this pack has been taken from two of my online courses, No Dig Gardening and Skills for Growing, so if you have purchased these courses, you will already have the information. For any queries, please email anna@charlesdowding.co.uk

Please note, these are digital products and only accessible via the website. They are not downloadable.*

In this double pack, I help you to lay out your plot in a way which will give you most joy and most food. Then you’ll learn a lot about raising plants. This means that all your precious space is as full as possible throughout the year.

Planning includes how you might set up and lay out a garden or plot. Then how to create a rough plan of cropping for the whole year. And much advice about succession planting and whether or not you need to rotate your vegetable crops.

Beds for ease of creation and use

I consider bed width and orientation, whether you need sides to your beds, or probably don’t! I explain the value of sides to beds in some situations, and the many reasons you may not want them.

With no dig, it’s fine to tread on soil occasionally. It is firm yet open. This means you can have beds of any width, and align them in whichever way works best for you in the context of your site.

Pathways to value

We look at the benefits and importance of well maintained paths. You’ll see examples from different parts of Homeacres, and from my previous garden at Lower Farm. 

I explain how to clear paths of weeds and keep them weed free, and why this is worthwhile. Also reasons for having paths of different widths, and how narrow paths without bed sides can increase your cropping.

Planning

This is knowledge to help you make viable choices about what to plant where and when, through all the season. It’s easier with no dig because there is neither much ground preparation, nor weeding.

Succession and rotation

The knowledge here is closely linked to no dig methods. Your super healthy, undisturbed soil can successfully grow the same family of vegetables year after year.

Propagation

Being consistently good at propagation is a vital part of having fresh and stored harvests throughout the year. You can sow in nine out of twelve months. This helps to keep your beds full with succession sowings. Much of what you grow after midsummer and through autumn is from second sowings.

Features of successful plant raising

1. Using top quality seeds.
2. Using suitable trays, according to each vegetable you sow.
3. Sourcing a really good compost for filling trays, and also pots, whichever type you are using.

I guide you through the many ways to be successful.

Transplanting

Another skill to acquire.

An important bit of knowledge you learn here is the size of transplant, for ease of planting and good results. My method is about raising small but strong transplants. Then to set them in the ground when they are as young as three weeks old. Sometimes less, and sometimes more, depending on which vegetable it is, and on the time of year as well.

Save time and effort with these methods.

Knowledge pack contents – includes text, photos and video

Planning

• Bed width and orientation, sides or not
• Making a bed 
• Paths – how they feed your plants and how to look after them
• 3 examples of planning
• Succession and rotation

Propagation

• Seeds and seed saving
• How to propagate strong seedlings 
• The benefits of multisowing
• Transplant or sow direct