Seminário âmbito do Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Biomédica - Mestre Phillip Probst
No-dig gardening is a sustainable, low-disturbance approach to growing healthy vegetables by prioritizing soil structure, biodiversity, and natural ecosystem processes. By avoiding soil disruption and building fertility through layered organic matter and compost, this method promotes a resilient soil microbiome, reduces weed pressure, and improves long-term productivity. This presentation explores the ecological foundations and practical applications of no-dig gardening, including composting, bed planning, interplanting, efficient watering, and biodiversity-friendly management practices. It highlights how understanding the soil food web, minimizing compaction, and maintaining continuous soil cover contribute to improved soil health and crop performance. Through real examples and step-by-step guidance on establishing and maintaining no-dig beds, the presentation illustrates how working with natural soil processes can support climate-resilient, low-maintenance, and productive growing systems.
Bio:
Phillip Probst holds a B. Eng. In Mechatronics/ Precision Engineering with a specialization in Medical Engineering obtained from the Munich University of Applied Sciences as well as a M. Sc. In Biomedical Engineering obtained from the Universität zu Lübeck and the Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck. Currently, he is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the LIBPhys Biosignals Lab that is part of the NOVA School of Science and Technology. His research involves the development of biosignal-based and AI-enhanced occupational health recommendation systems using widely available devices such as smartphones and smartwatches. A major focus of his work is to explore how these systems can be made transparent, explainable, and user-friendly to increase the acceptance and adoption of them within the workforce. His research is funded by a MIT Portugal doctoral grant.