No dig garden fact sheet

No-Dig Garden Fact Sheet What is No-Diga EcoGarden Gardening? Pond Fact Sheet Building This type of garden is built above the ground using layers of newspaper, compost, straw, lucerne hay and manure rather than digging and planting into the soil.

A garden pond is a beautiful addition to any garden, whether it is filled with just plants or fish as well. Here is our simple guide to what you need to know about building garden ponds.

Our composts and soils are not simply mud and dirt; they are infinitely complex pieces of biological engineering. They have basic survival needs in the form of food, air, water, and Choosing the Garden Pond warmth; these need to be met if we are to have healthy, vital soil and compost working for us.

The first thing that you need to consider is what type of pond that you want to build – one with Advantages: plants only, or one with fish and plants. This is because each pond needs to take into consideration the features that it has. Be careful that you don’t choose a pond that is too small as  You oneofover or poor it will limitcan the make amount fishconcrete and plants that soil It reduces waste by using your old newspapers youcan use.  It’s a great way to use your compost You also need to consider the location. You will enjoy the pond more if it is closer to the Easy stepssure to building a No-Digwhere Eco Garden home – make it is somewhere you are easily able to see it. Be careful that the Starting from youascan make aand straw on paper pond does not getscratch, any runoff chemicals garden bed in about one and a half hours on the lawn, in organic matter may get into the pond, the garden and even on cement disrupting its ecology.

Ensure that thepaths plantsor hard rocky ground.

As the beds are raised they get sunlight if you want to grow plants. Also are be walled in with bricks, concrete blocks or scrap timber. bale ofspeaking, lucerne hay onethe bale of straw is enough for a bed 2m x 1.8m. aware thatOne generally theand larger pond is, the easier it is to maintain.

1. Select a sunny location for your garden Types of Pond 2. Put down the following layers: When building your pond, there are many options to choose from when it comes to materials.

One of the most popular is the lined pond. This is where you dig the hole to any shape that you

First put down aacovering of newspaper about 1.5cm thick,Sheet overlapping well. If your garden Building Garden Pond Fact

base is rock or hard clay, put down a 5.7cm layer of old leaves small sticks or pieces of seaweed first and then cover with newspaper. If you choose, you can make a border with old timber.

A garden pond is a beautiful addition to any garden, whether it is filled with just plants or fish as well. Here is our simple guide to what you need to know about building garden ponds.

On top of the paper place a 10cm deep layer of wads of Choosing the Garden Pond lucerne hay packed closely together. Sprinkle 2cm layer of The first thing that you need to consider is what type of pond that you want to build – one with organic fertiliser, blood and plants only, or one with fish and plants. This is because each pond needs to take into bone, dry poultry manure or consideration the features that it has. Be careful that you don’t choose a pond that is too small as compost – over the lucerne hay it will limit the amount of fish and plants that layer. you can use.

Then add a 20cm layer (about You also need to consider the location. You the thickness of your hand will enjoy the pond more if it is closer to the length) of loose straw and home – make sure it is somewhere where you sprinkle a little more fertiliser are easily able to see it. Be careful that the over it. pond does not get any runoff as chemicals and organic matter may get into the pond, Place a small mound of compost on top of the layers for each plant. disrupting its ecology. Ensure that the plants get sunlight if you want to grow plants. Also be 3. Plant your seedlings – one to each compost pile. aware that generally speaking, the larger the pond is, the easier it is to maintain.

4. Water the finished garden well, and then water each day for the first week. In time the hay, straw and paper will break down into a dark, fluffy, light compost soil.

Types of Pond When building your pond, there are many options to choose from when it comes to materials.

One of the most popular is the lined pond. This is where you dig the hole to any shape that you

Ongoing management of the garden Ongoing management of the no-dig eco garden involves the following aspects:

Building a Garden Pond Fact Sheet 1. Clearing of old crops and bed preparation

 Sowing seeds directly addition to any garden, whether it is filled with just plants or fish as A garden pond is a beautiful well. Here is our simple guide to what you need to know about building garden ponds.

Remove old plant material and compost If removing plants causes Choosing the Garden Pond damaging disturbance to the soil, just cut off plant.

Remove coarse mulch material from surface and lightly rake. seeds prepared bed.

TheSprinkle first thing that over you need to consider is what type of pond that you want to build – one with Lightly mulch over seeds to reduce drying out is because each pond needs to take into plants only, or one with fish and plants. This consideration the features that it has. Be careful that you don’t choose a pond that is too small as  Planting it will limit theseedlings amount of fish and plants that you can use.

Remove old plant material back mulch and plantthe seedlings.

YouPull also need to consider location. You Sprinkle compost around seedling andtotuck will enjoy the pond more if it is closer the mulch back around the plant.

home – make sure it is somewhere where you Use of a crop rotation are 2.easily able to see it. Besystem careful that the pond does not get any runoff as chemicals and  Legumes beans, etc) plants high in nitrogen. organic matter(peas, maybeans, get broad into the pond,  Leaf crops (lettuce, cabbage, silver beet etc) disrupting its ecology.

Ensure thatcelery, the plants  Fruit crops or flowers (tomatoes, zucchini, get sunlight if you want to grow plants. Also be melons, squash, flowers etc)  Root (carrots, onions,the potatoes, beetroot, radish, turnip, etc) aware that crops generally speaking, larger the  Fallow, at least 2 to months.

Let weeds grow and green manure crop. pond is, the easier it is maintain.  Fruit crops and flowers (tomatoes, zucchini, melons, squash, flowers etc.

Types of Pond Note Between harvesting one crop and planting another, clear the bed of old plants When there are options to choose from when it comes to materials.

Addbuilding 5-10cmyour layerpond, of compost and many then re-mulch.

One of the most popular is the lined pond. This is where you dig the hole to any shape that you

3. Growing green manure crops These are crops grown purely for the purpose of providing the soil with nutrients and organic

matter. They area anGarden important part ofPond the crop rotation system.

Building Fact Sheet

One important rule with Green Manure crops is to incorporate them into the soil just at or before, flowering when their protein content is at its peak. Green manure crops have plenty of A garden pond is a beautiful addition to any garden, whether it is filled with just plants or fish as bulk and are still relatively easily decomposed. well. Here is our simple guide to what you need to know about building garden ponds.

4. Application of compost Choosing the Garden Pond You can’t overdo compost. The main limitation to the quantity you use will be the rate at The first thing that you need to consider is what type of pond that you want to build – one with which you can produce it. plants only, or one with fish and plants. This is because each pond needs to take into consideration the features that it has. Be careful that you don’t choose a pond that is too small as If you have lots of compost then a whole layer can be mulched into the surface each time a it will limit the amount of fish and plants that new crop is planted. you can use.

5. Use of companion planting relationships You also need to consider the location. You will enjoy the pond more if it is closer to the There are some well established companion plant relationships in the garden which seem to home – make sure it is somewhere where you work well for example basil and tomatoes. You may also read of supposedly positive plant are easily able to see it. Be careful that the interactions which do not seem to be effective when you try them yourself. We recommend pond does not get any runoff as chemicals and that as well as referring to a companion planting guide that you also trust your own intuition organic matter may get into the pond, and experiment in your own garden. disrupting its ecology. Ensure that the plants get sunlight if you want to grow plants. Also be 6. Moon planting cycles aware that generally speaking, the larger the pond is, the easier it is to maintain.

Many organic gardeners have found that planting by the moons cycles can give better seed germination and transplanting results. The plants are healthier and therefore will be more Types of Pond resistant to insect and disease attack.

When building your pond, there are many options to choose from when it comes to materials.

For more information and other topics see Hornsby Council’s range of Eco Gardening fact One of the most popular is the lined pond. This is where you dig the hole to any shape that you sheets.