To dig or not to dig, that is the question on Jim and George’s lips in the Beechgrove Garden. Two side-by-side veg plots, both preparing to grow, but one has been dug over and the other untouched.
Scone Palace is overrun by rabbits like many Beechgrove viewers’ gardens. Head gardener Brian Cunningham sets up an observation to try and find out if there really is such a thing as rabbit-proof plants.
George is no shrinking violet when it comes to floristry and as Jim would say, every day is a school day. This week, George goes back to school, not just any school but flower school in Edinburgh, where he learns tips and tricks to put together some unique arrangements with spring flowers.
In The Beechgrove Garden episode 3 2017:
Dig vs No-Dig
It’s time for some spring work on the dig and no-dig plots.
No-Dig
On the no-dig side, the soil is not dug over; and you try not to walk on it to maintain the structure of the soil. In the autumn/winter you add organic matter to the top and let the worms, micro organisms and fungi mix the compost into the soil. You can basically use any organic matter for this.
Dig
On the dig side, the organic matter is incorporated and dug in to a spades depth. Last year the no-dig plotproduced better cropsand this was put down to all the compost and nutrients being on the surface and crops being able to directly access the nutrients but could this be sustained? This year the same crops will be grown on each plot and we will see what results bring.
Getting perennials off to a good start
The herbaceous perennials in the herbaceous border were starting to spring into life. At this time of year there are quite a few jobs to be getting on with. The first job is to look out for early weeds. Things like Hairy bitter-cress will set seed as soon as they have flowered, so it’s best to remove these as soon as you see them. Some of the perennials were also becoming weeds in the border.
