When I first try about no - dig or no - till gardening , I thought it was just another one of those “ too salutary to be true ” things . But as is my habit when I hear of something new soil amendment or drill , I look for published arena trials to see if there was any measurable benefit . I was surprised to find that this was really a “ thing ” and there were several studies that had been channel . Both showed hopeful results .
Over 50 years of horticulture experience has teach me to be doubting about gardening advice beyond adding compost unless I could find documentary examples of whether it would measurably better my production . And even then , before I embrace an innovative approach , I always conduct my own cozy trial compare difference in the same time of year with the same works . I decided to consecrate 2 of my 10 raise beds to no till .
I did this for two seasons . I was more than pleasantly surprise by the solvent . No , not because there was a significant difference in product , but because there was n’t . Yet , the no - till bed spare me from labour in the compost every season .
As for whether my practice of no - till get more or estimable veggies , I ca n’t say for sure . I do n’t precisely weigh my veggies for my trials . My approaching is that if I liken same - season , same plant approach shot , and I ca n’t see a significant difference , then it does n’t weigh . As you show out , there are circumstances in which till land bring about improved results . If I were a large - scale , commercial-grade farmer , I would be much more precise about measuring my craw production . A 1 or 2 % improvement in product would be significant and suitable of adopting a finicky practice . At my scale , it ’s irrelevant . Thanks for your post .
Here ’s the video :
My Thoughts on Till vs. No-till
I have had good results with “ lasagna garden ” stylus layer and with long - term beds in my Grocery Row Garden systems . Both are no - till method acting .
On the other hand , I have also had good fate with till up an area and making single - row garden , the good old - fashioned way . We ’d weed with a garden hoe or a wheel hoe and kept the soil mere all time of year , then we ’d usually dissipate a cover crop over it , then , next season , till that in and start again .
The important thing is to be grow food , and not destroy the realm you ’ve been give .
I do think there ’s a place for plowland , though it can be abused . And there is a cultishness to no - till that is disturbing . If I had a buck for every time someone talk to me about Elaine Ingham , I ’d be a rich human beings . Personally , I am not a sports fan of her , though I gibe with a good bit of what she articulate .
People often are n’t smart enough to take what they can apply and fling the rest . Instead , they divide into unfriendly bivouac and laud their agency is the only mode and all others areinfidels that must be compost .
I ’m pleased when I see a fat no - money box garden and delight when I see a productive tilled garden .
Grow food . Leave the factory husbandry system of rules .
And by all means , experimentation in your own backyard like Captain Ron . A time of year of try various method acting in your garden is almost certainly more valuable than listening to a thousand hours of podcasts .
Go thee out and DO !
