Is anyone out there in a hurry? Are you working three jobs, have seven children, or on your way to a fire? This no-dig planting method is the fastest way to a vegetable garden – a soil bag can be planted in under 60 seconds (I clocked it). Planting directly into a bag of topsoil is also easy and convenient.
At first glance, this may look like a less-than-organic approach, what with the plastic and all. However, there are a few great reasons to try this method yourself. The first reason being the one that I mentioned above. You may have the desire to grow fresh veggies or herbs but keep looking hopelessly at the calendar wondering where the heck you’re going to find the time to create a suitable bed for them.
Another great reason is if you feel intimidated by the whole idea of figuring out the size and structure of a garden bed. After all, it seems like every garden book you pick up has a different formula for amending the hardpan soil that describes your yard so perfectly. Inside those manuals are also numerous ways to construct raised garden beds; it’s enough to confuse anyone. Perhaps you are allergic to tools. Whatever the intimidating factor is – planting soil bags are the answer.
A third reason is when the perfect spot in your yard seems beyond all hope at the moment. You may have this perfectly brilliant spot in your yard for veggies, but what passes for dirt in that spot really gives soil a bad name. Drop a couple of soil bags there and plant to your little heart’s desire; it’s that easy.
Here’s how you do it:
Get a bag of topsoil and with a pair of scissors, make slices into the back of the bag for drainage. Then lay the soil bag on its back (sliced-hole-side down) in the area that you want to make your veggie bed. Use your scissors to cut a big rectangle shape of plastic off of the top of the soil bag. At this point, you simply make some holes into the soil and place your plants into them – then water.
You can also start seeds in the bags this way instead of using little plant starts if you’d like. During the growing season, feel free to mulch the soil bag beds with compost, grass clippings, and the like. The plants will benefit from a little spoiling and it’ll help your bed in the long run. If you want to hide the soil bags for aesthetic or deceptive reasons, mulch the bags with enough straw or hay to cover them.
If you want to plant tomatoes this way, then use one bag per tomato plant to get the best results. Otherwise, you can put several pepper plants in one bag, etc.
At the end of the growing season, pull the plastic out of the bedding area and arrange the soil (and the added amendments). This will be the beginning of enhancing any lousy soil that was underneath the bags to begin with. In the picture, I used a rather large bag of soil for my Lemon Boy tomato plant, but there’s no rhyme or reason for this – it’s just what we had handy.
* The tomato plant in the picture was planted as an example. We just happened to have it on the lawn when we planted it. We have it sitting in an all-rock area at this point to grow in a place that otherwise would have been useless in our yard.
Learn more about planting in containers…
FAQs
This no-dig planting method is the fastest way to a vegetable garden – a soil bag can be planted in under 60 seconds (I clocked it). Planting directly into a bag of topsoil is also easy and convenient. At first glance, this may look like a less-than-organic approach, what with the plastic and all.
Can I put grow bags directly on the ground? ›
Just put them directly on the soil, fill and plant them as usual. To create a raised garden bed out of grow bags, you can place them on the ground.
What is the best soil for a no-dig bed? ›
Various materials can be used as a mulch, however a well-rotted compost works best in a no-dig bed, as it is easier to plant in and less likely to encourage slugs and other pests than fresh grass and straw.
How long can you keep bagged garden soil? ›
3. How Long Can You Store Potting Soil? Opened bags of new potting soil can retain quality for around 6 to 12 months. For unopened and unused potting soil, you can store it for about a year or two before it goes bad.
Is it OK to use potting soil for in-ground planting? ›
Answer: Don't waste potting mix on in-ground plantings. Add products created to be garden amendments instead. These contain the ingredients that gardens need, while leaving out unecessary components, like perlite, vermiculite, and other additives, that don't benefit garden soils.
How many inches of compost for a no dig garden? ›
Transforming an existing bed or another largely weed-free area to no dig typically requires nothing more than raking the surface level and spreading a two-inch layer of compost.
How do you grow without digging? ›
If you want to whack a no dig Garden on a sealed surface…
- Mark out the size of the beds and construct the sides. ...
- Place a 7 – 10cm layer of coarse screenings or scoria at the base for drainage.
- Layer the materials as listed above.
- Plant the bed.
- Top up layers as they rot down.
Yes, roots can grow through cardboard, but only in certain conditions.
How to use cardboard in garden to prevent weeds? ›
Completely cover the ground with the cardboard except where there are plants that you plan to keep. Wet down the cardboard as you go to keep it in place and to shape it around obstacles. Add a weed barrier that is permeable to water and air, cardboard boxes are ideal.
How to improve soil without digging? ›
Keep Adding Compost
Like fallen leaves and other organic materials, compost is soil food. It feeds the soil ecosystem, which works in partnership with plants. Apply compost to the topsoil once or twice a year. I like to use a layer of 1 to 2 inches of compost in spring and fall.
How to Loosen Hard Soil. Soil may be so hard that digging with a standard garden shovel is impossible. If this is the case, you can try to use a broad fork to lever the compacted soil apart or a mechanical rototiller. As you break up the soil, add in organic matter like straw or chopped leaves.
Can you plant directly into garden soil? ›
Planting seeds this way is called direct sowing, and it is an easy process that yields great results. Unlike indoor seed starting, direct sowing involves unpredictable elements: weather, wildlife and insects. Even so, many vegetables, annuals, herbs and perennials sprout easily from seed sown directly into garden soil.
Can you use bagged garden soil in raised beds? ›
Soil taken from your yard or a garden bed is too dense to use in a pot or raised bed. Instead, for containers, you'll want to use potting mix (also called potting soil), a lightweight and fluffy alternative. For raised beds, you'll want to use a blend of potting mix and garden soil.
What is the difference between bagged garden soil and potting soil? ›
Potting mix is meant to stand alone, as opposed to being mixed in with existing soils. It is a self-contained product designed to provide potted plants with everything they need to grow and thrive. Garden soil is meant to be spread around. Mix garden soil in with your native dirt to improve it.
What do you mix in garden soil before planting? ›
Common Soil Amendments
- Plant material: Leaves, straw, and grass clippings. ...
- Compost: Decayed plant materials such as vegetable scraps. ...
- Leaf mold: Decomposed leaves that add nutrients and structure to the soil.
- Aged manure: A good soil conditioner. ...
- Coconut coir: A soil conditioner that helps soil retain water.
