Following on from Step 1 in preparing the beds for spring, here is a quick video showing what I did to set up the second phase of preparation.
No Dig Principles
So once again, it’s important to understand that with No Dig, I wont be turning over the soil, which disturbs the nutrients, is back-breaking and unnecessary. Instead, we add organic matter to the bed to replenish the nutrients lost to last year’s veggie harvest.
What I have done so far
Step 1 was simply to remove last year’s carrots that did not do very well as the soil was too shallow in the first year, very minimal weeding as the layer of organic matter will suppress weeds out anyway. Quick and easy.
Step 2 – Feed the Soil, not the Plants and Add Manure
In this video I add 2 bags of well-rotted organic farmyard manure – in the future, the plan would be to use my homemade compost made in the compost bin.
Note that I clearly use a rake here to break up the clumps of manure and spread it around the bed in an even layer. No back breaking weeding or digging, just adding and spreading.
I’ll leave the bed to weather in the coming frosts which help it to soften and further breakdown for 3 or 4 weeks. I’ll then add a top layer of compost to plant into and then it will be ready for planting by March.
All Homesteading 
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