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No Dig: Nurture Your Soil to Grow Better Veg with Less Effort
Work in partnership with nature to nurture your soil for healthy plants and bumper crops - without back-breaking effort!
Have you ever wondered how to transform a weedy plot into a thriving vegetable garden?
Well now you can! By following the simple steps set out in No Dig, in just a few short hours you can revolutionize your vegetable patch with plants already in the ground from day one!
Charles Dowding is on a mission to teach that there is no need to dig over the soil, but by minimizing intervention you are actively boosting soil productivity. In fact, The less you dig, the more you preserve soil structure and nurture the fungal mycelium vital to the health of all plants.
This is the essence of the No Dig system that Charles Dowding has perfected over a lifetime growing vegetables.
So put your gardening gloves on and get ready to
- Guides and calendars of when to sow, grow, and harvest.
- Inspiring information and first-hand guidance from the author
- “Delve deeper” features look in-depth at the No Dig system and the facts and research that back it up.
- The essential role of compost and how to make your own at home.
- The importance of soil management, soil ecology, and soil health.
Now one of the hottest topics in environmental science, this "wood-wide web" has informed Charles's practice for decades, and he's proven it isn't just trees that benefit - every gardener can harness the power of the wood-wide web. Featuring newly- commissioned step-by-step photography of all stages of growing vegetables and herbs, and all elements of No Dig growing, shot at Charles’s beautiful market garden in Somerset, you too will be able to grow more veg with less time and effort, and in harmony with nature - so join the No Dig revolution today!
A must-have volume for followers of Charles Dowding who fervently believe in his approach to low input, high yield gardening, as well as gardeners who want to garden more lightly on the earth, with environmentally friendly techniques like organic and No Dig.
Have you ever wondered how to transform a weedy plot into a thriving vegetable garden?
Well now you can! By following the simple steps set out in No Dig, in just a few short hours you can revolutionize your vegetable patch with plants already in the ground from day one!
Charles Dowding is on a mission to teach that there is no need to dig over the soil, but by minimizing intervention you are actively boosting soil productivity. In fact, The less you dig, the more you preserve soil structure and nurture the fungal mycelium vital to the health of all plants.
This is the essence of the No Dig system that Charles Dowding has perfected over a lifetime growing vegetables.
So put your gardening gloves on and get ready to
- Guides and calendars of when to sow, grow, and harvest.
- Inspiring information and first-hand guidance from the author
- “Delve deeper” features look in-depth at the No Dig system and the facts and research that back it up.
- The essential role of compost and how to make your own at home.
- The importance of soil management, soil ecology, and soil health.
Now one of the hottest topics in environmental science, this "wood-wide web" has informed Charles's practice for decades, and he's proven it isn't just trees that benefit - every gardener can harness the power of the wood-wide web. Featuring newly- commissioned step-by-step photography of all stages of growing vegetables and herbs, and all elements of No Dig growing, shot at Charles’s beautiful market garden in Somerset, you too will be able to grow more veg with less time and effort, and in harmony with nature - so join the No Dig revolution today!
A must-have volume for followers of Charles Dowding who fervently believe in his approach to low input, high yield gardening, as well as gardeners who want to garden more lightly on the earth, with environmentally friendly techniques like organic and No Dig.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2022
127 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dowding
24 books881 followersCharles Dowding has been pioneering organic, no dig gardening since 1982, when he began growing vegetables on a 6,000m² plot in Somerset, UK. From the beginning, his no dig methods delivered healthy, abundant crops, with fewer weeds and no need for synthetic inputs. At the time, nobody else was growing commercially at this scale without digging, and Charles has been refining the approach ever since.
Today, he shares the simplicity and power of no dig gardening with a global audience, through his books, courses, YouTube videos, social media, and regular travels to connect with growers around the world.
Charles published his first book, Organic Gardening, in 2007, and has since written 14 more. His most recent titles include New Energies for Gardening (April 2025) and Compost (September 2024). He also produces an annual Calendar of Sowing Dates, packed with practical tips based on his trials and growing experience.
From his 1,600m² Homeacres market garden in Somerset, Charles continues to experiment with crops and methods – comparing dig and no dig plots, testing new varieties, and refining techniques. The garden yields around £35,000 of produce annually and serves as a living example of how low-input, soil-first methods can lead to healthy plants and sustainable harvests.
Charles is passionate about helping others find joy and success in growing food, and believes that no dig is not just a method, but a mindset.
Today, he shares the simplicity and power of no dig gardening with a global audience, through his books, courses, YouTube videos, social media, and regular travels to connect with growers around the world.
Charles published his first book, Organic Gardening, in 2007, and has since written 14 more. His most recent titles include New Energies for Gardening (April 2025) and Compost (September 2024). He also produces an annual Calendar of Sowing Dates, packed with practical tips based on his trials and growing experience.
From his 1,600m² Homeacres market garden in Somerset, Charles continues to experiment with crops and methods – comparing dig and no dig plots, testing new varieties, and refining techniques. The garden yields around £35,000 of produce annually and serves as a living example of how low-input, soil-first methods can lead to healthy plants and sustainable harvests.
Charles is passionate about helping others find joy and success in growing food, and believes that no dig is not just a method, but a mindset.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 8, 2023
If you have any interest in starting a garden and don't want to sift through all the conflicting information out there, this is the best place to begin your journey. If you have been gardening "conventionally" or in other words, by tilling and amending with liquid or otherwise bought products, and you want another perspective, this is the best place to start. I imagine that Charles' other books are just as good, but this one is so succinct. There is value in every sentence. If you have any interest in gardening at all, read this book and model your garden after it. I already started these practices based on Charles Dowding's YouTube content, but now I feel extremely confident in my knowledge as a gardener. Love this book.
March 9, 2023
I have read a few Charles books, and if you can only get one - get this one. You will have to adapt the advice to your location, and most of the varieties I personally would not find locally, which is expected. Maybe a few suggestions from his friends in other locations in the future?
A few things that kept triggering me while reading links to how information is presented and not the info itself most of the time - has same issues with other books too, so I will finally mention it.
Inconsistent image description placement: It is a shame that i cant upload pictures, but a simple image and a line bellow would be great. Having two images and naming one top and second one as above, is confusing. Both of them are above when whole description is at the bottom :) Clockwise from top right and bunch of other variations.
For such a colorful book, I was disappointed to see that key information timeline was done in black, even worse - some parts are dark grey. In not bright room, you can barely tell the difference. I can only image how hard it would be to people with eye impediments, I would suggest to look into accessibility principles, where ideally shapes, patterns should be best used + colors to match activity would work wonders for ease of use throughout the year. Maybe sowing as green, transplanting as red, harvesting as any other color. Yes, I can confirm that one vegetable did have a pattern, when all the grey shades where utilized :)
After reading for the tenth time that whatever you will grow will be much tastier than store bought, ant because of no dig and the microorganisms in it. It got really repetitive and unnecessary - that is exactly the reason why we are doing this and there is no need to keep patting ourselves on the back .
A suggestion: I would have loved to find master summary in the back of the book, where I could quickly look in the middle of the year and find, what I can still plant in July as an example. This would make great supplementary online tool too, as I do have made one in excel myself since I had to adjust the timings.
Also, book has great cover material, pleasant to touch, bound is also sturdy. It is printed in china, I guess some things have to give as otherwise it would be less accessible.
Highly recommended for any beginner
A few things that kept triggering me while reading links to how information is presented and not the info itself most of the time - has same issues with other books too, so I will finally mention it.
Inconsistent image description placement: It is a shame that i cant upload pictures, but a simple image and a line bellow would be great. Having two images and naming one top and second one as above, is confusing. Both of them are above when whole description is at the bottom :) Clockwise from top right and bunch of other variations.
For such a colorful book, I was disappointed to see that key information timeline was done in black, even worse - some parts are dark grey. In not bright room, you can barely tell the difference. I can only image how hard it would be to people with eye impediments, I would suggest to look into accessibility principles, where ideally shapes, patterns should be best used + colors to match activity would work wonders for ease of use throughout the year. Maybe sowing as green, transplanting as red, harvesting as any other color. Yes, I can confirm that one vegetable did have a pattern, when all the grey shades where utilized :)
After reading for the tenth time that whatever you will grow will be much tastier than store bought, ant because of no dig and the microorganisms in it. It got really repetitive and unnecessary - that is exactly the reason why we are doing this and there is no need to keep patting ourselves on the back .
A suggestion: I would have loved to find master summary in the back of the book, where I could quickly look in the middle of the year and find, what I can still plant in July as an example. This would make great supplementary online tool too, as I do have made one in excel myself since I had to adjust the timings.
Also, book has great cover material, pleasant to touch, bound is also sturdy. It is printed in china, I guess some things have to give as otherwise it would be less accessible.
Highly recommended for any beginner
August 3, 2024
The absolute best book I’ve read about vegetable gardening!
April 11, 2023
I learned so much about gardening and no dig. So many tricks to try in my garden now to help. Everything was laid out well and I could understand it. Very consistent. I did like how he talked about doing experiments with a No Dig bed and a Dug bed.
Some facts were presented without starting data points. So, just saying No Dig increased production by 113% doesn't help me. Also, some stuff will not apply to me, because I live in Texas with vastly different growing conditions and I hate cilantro (not why I dropped it down). Also, I find it funny that he said Texas is Zone 7....hahahaha, where, in El Paso...about 10 hours away from Houston and a different time zone? Texas I guess NW Panhandle or just West Texas is Zone 7 where it's dryer. We are Zone 9 in the majority of the state due to heat and humidity.
Some facts were presented without starting data points. So, just saying No Dig increased production by 113% doesn't help me. Also, some stuff will not apply to me, because I live in Texas with vastly different growing conditions and I hate cilantro (not why I dropped it down). Also, I find it funny that he said Texas is Zone 7....hahahaha, where, in El Paso...about 10 hours away from Houston and a different time zone? Texas I guess NW Panhandle or just West Texas is Zone 7 where it's dryer. We are Zone 9 in the majority of the state due to heat and humidity.
June 12, 2025
Full of useful tips. I have been using his tips and plant timings for our garden this year and so far it is working out really well.
Would highly recommend to read through and use as a reference if you are interested in growing vegetables.👩🌾
Would highly recommend to read through and use as a reference if you are interested in growing vegetables.👩🌾
June 13, 2024
I skim a lot of gardening books and usually don't add them to my Goodreads, but this one had some good nuggets!
December 27, 2022
Last summer, I bought some of Charles Dowding’s CD 60 seed starting trays, and I’ve been hooked on his method of propagation and growing vegetables & flowers. This book is chock full of information on how to grow vegetables of nearly all kinds, from seed to harvest. If you want to grow food but think you don’t have enough time for tilling/weeding/etc, this is the book for you. The only weakness of the book is that it is very site specific. Charles Dowding lives in England, and his experience is limited to growing in that climate—which is overall very mild compared to the US, both in summer and winter. If you’re in the US looking for detailed information on growing tomatoes/peppers/other heat loving crops, this is not the book for that. The overall method of no dig is still invaluable, it’s just something to be aware of.
Read
March 16, 2023Can I dig it? (Yes, you can!)
Can I dig it? (Yes, you can!)
Can I dig it? (Yes, you can! But actually you don’t have to! And maybe you shouldn’t!)
Can I dig it? (Yes, you can!)
Can I dig it? (Yes, you can! But actually you don’t have to! And maybe you shouldn’t!)
June 17, 2025
I watched a lot of Charles Dowding's YouTube videos when setting up my garden and still regularly refer to the seed sowing timeline on his website.
This book is a great guide to gardening in general and no-dig in particular. It's full of really useful advice that you know comes from years of actual experience.
The latter half of the book gives detailed instructions for growing each different kind of vegetable, plus some herbs and fruits. This includes suggested varieties and key details that are much more informative than those usually found on seed packets.
This book is a great guide to gardening in general and no-dig in particular. It's full of really useful advice that you know comes from years of actual experience.
The latter half of the book gives detailed instructions for growing each different kind of vegetable, plus some herbs and fruits. This includes suggested varieties and key details that are much more informative than those usually found on seed packets.
February 22, 2023
This book is fantastic,
How to grow, what to grow and when to do it.
All that, with the best way for the soil/environment and you.
Charles has done it again with photographs, style and the ever beautiful Homeacres.
How to grow, what to grow and when to do it.
All that, with the best way for the soil/environment and you.
Charles has done it again with photographs, style and the ever beautiful Homeacres.
November 25, 2024
If you are interested in setting up an easy to maintain veggie plot, this is the book for you. Dowding is a legend of the ‘No dig’ principle. Easy to follow and well set out. Enjoy in front of the fire on a cold winters evening while you plan for the warmer weather.
October 2, 2022
A really good gardening book that explains not only what to grow when, and how, but why.
August 23, 2023
I think this book needs to be a desk book for every gardener – until you get to learn it all during years of practicing no dig.
January 1, 2024
No dig, it's simple.
Bought it for all the info on the different veggies mostly. That: 4 stars.
Bought it for all the info on the different veggies mostly. That: 4 stars.
June 13, 2024
Fantastic advice from the GOAT. This is one I will buy.
Want to read
October 14, 2024SM
March 25, 2025
Great read--very informative and interesting.
January 29, 2024
I was privileged to visit Homeacres and the garden really does look like what you see in the books and on YouTube. You can tell Charles puts a lot of thought and effort into his work there. The food was amazing; which says the practices he keeps produce excellent results.
June 16, 2023
Interesting concept, a lot of his advice seems specific to characteristics of his certain region though.
November 12, 2025
easily digestible!
We all love Charles Dowding for his tactics in the garden. This book was wildly easily digestible and applicable in the garden.
We all love Charles Dowding for his tactics in the garden. This book was wildly easily digestible and applicable in the garden.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews