We asked Charles Dowding what he would recommend to a first-time gardener who was nervous to begin. “Start small, say one bed of 1.2 x 2.4m. Adopt the no-dig approach: It's simple and easy, based on two things. One, the soil is undisturbed, allowing its organisms to work and multiply. You build on top of the existing network of life. And also it’s fine to dig a hole to plant a tree, or when harvesting potatoes!”

“Two, feed soil inhabitants with organic matter on the surface, from where they take it down. This aerates the soil and sets up a larder of nutrients for plant roots.” Charles is an advocate for leaving the soil ecosystem intact when gardening, as it’s more sustainable and can save you a lot of work. Let’s face it, digging is not a particularly fun activity unless you happen to be a mole. 

We also wanted to know what misconceptions Charles has run into when educating and training other gardeners. “It's easier than often claimed. You don't need to dig, you don't need to practice a rotation, you don't need to feed or fertilize your plants unless in containers, you can walk on your beds if you need to, and you have plenty of scope to be creative.” He recommends using free, online resources like YouTube to learn more. 

“When starting out, weeds can be tamed easily with surface covers such as cardboard in particular. Soil that is firm is not compacted, and plants like rooting into firm soil. You can plant into straight compost, Plants then root down into the soil below,” he added, giving some more specific examples of how a novice gardener could start and what not to be afraid of. In general, fear of gardening is a bit irrational, it's not like the dead plants will take revenge.

Lastly, we wanted him to expand upon what resources a beginner could use to develop their skills. Firstly, he recommended his book, as well as guides he put together to help keep track of planting times and other seasonal effects. Note that much of the information is geared toward the UK. Lastly, he encouraged an attitude of curiosity and to be constantly asking questions. “How do plants grow? (new research into rhizophagy shows the importance of bacteria). How much watering is necessary? (often less). What is the best spacing? (depends partly on what you want from the plants).”

As previously mentioned, no dig could be a great way to start gardening if you happen to be in an area that is relatively fertile. While it has numerous environmental benefits, the main advantage for the novice gardener is that it does not require nearly as much physical work. Who wants to pull a muscle digging holes all day just to see a crop die? Perhaps that sounds pessimistic, but like cooking or pottery, you need to accept that the first few attempts might not work out. If you're feeling inspired, feel free to check out our other gardening article here.

We also reached out to Katrina Harrison from ‘Homegrown Garden’ to find out a bit more regarding advice for beginner gardeners. "Grow what you want to grow, now what you think you should grow. I remember when I grew loads of kale one year because it was the winter plant that stood up to all the weather, not realizing at the time that I hated the stuff! Embrace the failures as part of the learning process and always start small. You’ll have more success if you focus your learning on growing just a few crops rather than trying to do everything in your first year."

Helpfully, she also gave some examples of common misconceptions people tend to have. "Gardening can be done on a balcony, a single pot outside your front door, or on a window ledge. These small spaces are often those that desperately need greening up and it benefits those around you and the wildlife too. Also, I think a lot of people believe that to grow anything successfully you need to have a south-facing, sunny garden when in fact some of my favorite ornamental plants thrive in shady conditions. Ornamental plants such as hellebores, ferns, and even edible crops like lettuce, spinach, and beetroot don’t mind shade and won’t be quick to go to seed in the summer heat."