Charles Dowding - No Dig Champion
Charles Dowding is known to many as someone that has championed the ‘No Dig’ movement, having practiced it since 1982, he is certainly the no dig don in our eyes! Having moved around the world over the years and successfully managed market gardens following no dig, he has shown how incredibly effective it is in terms of produce but also it’s affect on the soil’s health too!
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Using a cardboard layer to cover old soil to kill & suppress weeds yet preserve microorganisms and microbial allies in the soil
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Add four inches of your compost on top of the cardboard to create your ready to plant no dig patch
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Planting the seeds and seedlings straight into it creates the least amount of soil damage
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The nutritious barrier means less watering and weeding meaning you'll have more time for the more creative side of growing your own

Charles Dowding's Story

Young Charles DowdingEarly Charles DowdingEarly Charles DowdingYoung Charles with family

When he was 20, studying Geography at university, he felt a strong pull to go back to work with the land again as his father had as a dairy farmer. The more he came to understand the trends declining nutritional content of food, and rising residues of toxic chemicals the more he wanted to do something about it and live a healthier life.

Starting his first market garden in 1982 in Shepton Montague, Somerset then after nearly a decade moved out to France where he managed a fairly sized small holding and sold his produce in local farmers markets. Since then Charles returned to Somerset and after running Lower Farm from 1998 to 2012, has now settled in Homeacres. His videos and channel on YouTube has grown from strength to strength, and we’re delighted to have partnered with him for Roots!

The Science

It is proven that no dig provides a bigger yield in terms of fruit and veg, Charles has been proving this for years and now has a lot evidence to back this up.

It’s not just the yield that’s great about no dig, but also the avoidance of pesticides we would otherwise be consuming. The Cocktail Effect report by the Soil Association released in 2019 showed some horrific and alarming stats about shop bought fruit and veggies.

“Around a quarter of all food, and over a third of fruit and vegetables, consumed in the UK contain pesticide cocktails, with some items containing traces of up to 14 different pesticides.”
Tractor at work

Charles & Ed

Ed was totally inspired by Charles when they met at a growing talk in Lyme Regis before the first Lockdown. He followed the no-dig technique, read all of Charles books and had an incredible first year growing at his Grandmas in Devon!

2020
Ed on grandmas patch
Ed’s no dig patch at his Grandma’s house
2020
Here is Ed’s first no dig bed following the day course he went to at Charles Dowdings ‘Homeacres’ market garden. You can see how much it came to life as the season changed. This is where the basis of Roots was born!
Ed at Grandmas patch
2022
Ed, Will, Josh and Christian set to work on building the patches for Tuckers Meadow. Here you can see the cardboard being laid down.
Ed laying cardboard
2022
Ed laying cardboard
The first no dig sites being made by the Roots team
2022
Ed and Charles
Ed and Charles at the opening of the first site
2022
This picture is from the opening party of Tuckers Meadow where Charles Dowding cut the ribbon alongside the Mayor of Bath.
Charles and Ed
2023
Ed, Will, Josh and Christian set to work on building the patches for Tuckers Meadow. Here you can see the cardboard being laid down.
Charles and Ed
2023
Ed, Charles and Mitch on site
Ed, Charles, Kate & Mitch the growing experts!

Meet the experts

It’s not just Charles Dowding in our lineup of experts that we’ve partnered with, you’ll likely recognise a few of the other faces below if you’re a fan of the no dig movement!

Mitch Grows

Mitch is a talented former chef and enthusiastic grower of heirloom, unusual and exciting fruit and veg varieties. He is also specifically very interested and passionate about soil health!

Kate Four Acre Farm

Kate runs a no dig market garden, Four Acre Farm CIC, as well as an orchard and habitat creation project in the New Forest. Having cheffed in her previous career, Kate has a real appreciation for great food and homegrown produce.

Community Harvest

Here’s just a few of the pictures from our members and what they grew last season, it always amazes and excites us when these come through on WhatsApp and Facebook - such a beautiful, bright abundance of fruit, veggies, herbs and flowers!

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