r/NoDig

I prepped a large area of my yard as a no dig project to start a pollinator garden this season. I used paper yard bags, sheep manure, straw, fresh grass clippings, dried leaves, and covered with a straw layer for the winter. I just had garden soil (top soil and aged cow manure) delivered to top it off.

I planted my first round of plants, and the below layers are moist and brown and full earth worms, but the soil layer on top looks like light brown dusty dirt now after being in the full sun. Should I do another layer of compost/mulch? it has taken 5 yards already and I've haven't covered the whole area.

It has been a lot of work so far and way more expensive than I anticipated. I don't want the project to fail though.

First year was cardboard over lawn and about a 6" top dressing with a compost mix and a good broadfork over the area before planting. Great results year 1.

Last fall I covered the plot with leaves and some wheat straw plus manure. This spring about an inch of compost mix and a good broadfork before planting.

You can see the soil texture I now have compared to what I started with last spring. Maybe not the method for everybody but works great for me.