The answer is a no dig garden. This method takes the work out of creating a garden, and also improves soil quality without the need for digging. It’s especially useful for people who cannot garden with a tiller or have a back injury. This is the same method used by many commercial growers, and it’s much easier on your hands and back.

How do i start my garden without digging you have a spot of dirt ready to garden or are starting on top of grass, begin by smothering any existing weeds with multiple layers of cardboard and then covering them with a layer of compost. This is similar to a lasagna recipe, and will suppress weeds by blocking out their sunlight, and build the quality of the soil over time.

No-Dig Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden without Digging

Add any other organic matter you have available, such as manure or worm castings. If you have livestock such as chickens, goats or ducks, get as much of their manure as possible to add; this is the best source of nitrogen (the stuff plants love). Also, collect sticks and branches from around your property, and dry leaves to provide carbon.

After everything is layered, top with a good layer of mulch, such as shredded leaves or straw. This will protect the layers from rain, and make it easy to walk on. During the growing season, continue to add mulches and compost as needed throughout the year. This will help to aerate the soil and build up the organic material, and will keep it from needing any further digging. Only planting and weeding will require any manual labor, and this is very minimal.