Wardy...

[Crash]

Where can I read about no dig growing? I've read bits in your posts but would like to read more. Sounds like a good idea to me.

[Crash]

[wardy]

My back began hurting last Jan and coincided with my ma being ill.  My back seemed to get worse as she got worse.  It was stress pure and simple but on mother's day my back went into spasm and that really was it as far as the lotty was concerned. I am waiting for a diagnosis but til then I don't dig and everything I've achieved since then has been without digging because I simply can't do it.  I really can't weed much either so my approach is no dig and no weed so I simply have to try and suppress them with cardboard, manure, black plastic sheet mulch.  I have just cleared my no dig spuds which were fantastic and you don't need to dig to get spuds!  Now they're gone and the bed which had carboard and manure on it is clear of top weeds I'm going to plant brassicas in it with a bulb planter, no digging first.  I can keep weeds at bay by placing cardboard on the soil right up to the plants.  It helps deter slugs too.   If you Google for Lasagne method you'll find the method of growing without digging  :)

[Crash]

Cheers for that Wardy. My back went last night! It took me 15 mins to get out of bed this morning.

[wardy]

I bet you were digging  ;D   

[Crash]

When it went I was only bending over to tie two pallets together to make a compost bin!

[wardy]

That's terrible but this gardening lark does hurt if you have a bad back.  I find walking one of the worst things  :(  I think mine is to do with my hip so it might be a longer term problem that I at first thought.  Oh well I keep on doing my lotty as only got it last year and love it.  I do one job for 10 minutes, then move on and do something else.  My chiro told me to do that so you don't overwork one set of muscles if you know what I mean.  Just getting up and walking about is good too  :) sometimes have to lie down as well which looks a bit strange  ;D  Carrying watering cans is the worst but now I have a water butt which makes life easier and I just don't fill them as full.

You need anti inflammatory drugs like Ibufren (strong ones via your GP) and I had some strong Paramol from the chemist and I took them in tandem   Your GP or chemist will tell you how to do it.  They only work though on relaxed muscles so you have to do nothing to allow them to work.  Then when your back is feeling less painful you can try and walk about at home.  Keeping moving is key

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's very much what I did when I first had my plot, and my back injury cleared up in no time.

[wardy]

Mine's not clearing up and I know keep ignorning it might not be a good idea but I hate going to the docs.  Mind you if I get on the list now for a hip replacement I might just get one before I slip this mortal coil.  I'm 47 now  :)

[Crash]

I've been given codeine phosphate and signed off for 2 weeks... The only bad thing is that I can't drink with them!

[wardy]

I kept working at my b and b  :)  I was laid up for about two days when my back went into spasm but I had chiro once a week to get me moving again and I used to be at the oven on hands and knees checking me sausages, and making me beds  ;D  Grovelling about on knees is bad news too apparently so I don't recommend it

I hope you'll feel better soon.  Not a very good start to your lottying career  :(

[supersprout]

Have you come across Mr Yeoman's book 'The lazy vegetable gardener'? His suggestions come across as mad or eccenteric or both :-\, but having tried a few just for a laugh  ;D - they work beautifully to get the plants up and the labour down!  :o He is a great believer in no dig and his method of making beds (The Lazy Sod) sounds a bit like a 'Lasagne method'. It's a hilarious read and although lottie neighbours may think I'm an eccenteric biddy :P, they sneak past and check out my plot when they think I'm not looking;D ;D ;D

[hemajo]

Wardy, you want some of those knee protectors you can buy for gardening, also, my OH bought some from a bike shop for protection for his knees and elbows, as he has come a cropper a good few times and get quite nasty cuts and bumps on his knees.  I'm battling a bad shoulder at the moment - too much digging with my digging hoe I think!  (and my job!).

[hemajo]

Have you come across Mr Yeoman's book 'The lazy vegetable gardener'? His suggestions come across as mad or eccenteric or both :-\,

Sounds like my cup of tea - is it still in print?   I'm off to google it.

[wardy]

Ta SS!  That's the book for me  ;D

Have got some knee pads I got when I left t'pit in 93.  Mind you they belonged to the pit manager who was 6'10" so they might be a tad big for yours truly.  They've been in the shed since then  :)

[hemajo]

Well, I have found the book on a very original website - The gardening guild.  Can buy a personally signed copy for £10.95 + £2 p+p.  Would you recommend it Supersprout?

[supersprout]

yes, I thoroughly recommend it - if you don't want it any more Mr Yeoman recommends you soak it in water and use it as a mulch ;D
hope you have a lot of fun and save ze knees ...