Gardening Without Tilling

Loose friable soil is the best soil for gardening. Tilling is a common method to produce loose soil. This works fine for a few years, but overtime it kills the fertility of the soil. Over-tilling reduces soil particle size (which results in compaction), kills microorganisms, causes erosion, disturbs the natural soil layers, and a causes a host of other problems. Its good to know that they are alternatives to tilling.

Gardening without tilling does not mean that we don't dig or loosen the soil it just means that we don't overly disturb it. If the soil has never been cultivated before it will be necessary to dig the soil and incorperate some soil admendments worm castings.

To double dig you start by digging a trench about the width of the garden row and set the soil just out of the way. Then the digging tool is used to loosen the soil in the bottom of the trench, but not actually move it. Simply just insert the digging tool and loosen the soil. To continue forward, dig the soil in front of the trench back into the trench so as to move the whole trench forward. Then you loosen the soil at the bottom and your ready to repeat. This can be a tiring process, but it is good exercise and will provably only be necessary the first year a garden bed is used. To incorporate some sort of compost, simply lay it in top of the soil before double digging.

The real secret though to no till gardening is to keep the soil covered at all times. You may use any leaves, compost, cardboard, or even living plants to cover the soil. Keeping the soil covered does a number of things. Firstly it keeps he soil moist and prevents rapid drying that would cause the soil to harden. Furthermore it promotes and feed soil organisms such as red wiggler worms that keep the soil fertile and friable. Also it prevents erosion and keeps weeds at bay.

When ready to plant the garden just move the ground cover enough to plant though and you are good to go. Its important to maintain the garden by adding mulch, compost, or manure every year!

If you have not already be sure to start a compost pile. The following is a good resource for composting with red wigglers.