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Nh

Hi fellow growers.....still got a couple pumps going, but am thinking of my fall preparation. In reading Don's new book, it appears there is much more insight into the No Till method. A quick search on BP over the last couple years shows mixed reviews....Is our hobby shifting towards this practice....inquiring minds want to know. Grow em big!

9/20/2009 5:42:19 PM

Johnston, R.I.

Seems like everyone around here tills..

9/20/2009 5:57:58 PM

Lexington, Ky

My patch is about 10% OM but I still have to till due to compaction. I have learned first hand this year just how much compaction an abnormally wet summer can create. Sure, I kill some critters and upset the balance but I think I can overcome that by using the things that I do to amend during fall and spring.

9/20/2009 7:32:00 PM

Midway, UT

I think it is tough to go not till if you have a lot of clay in your soil. I know growers who have tried it however.

9/20/2009 8:34:35 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I would think that tilling is a must due to adding the right amendments and organic matter. Then again I didnt read Dons book yet. It seem odd that anyone would advise a grower not to till. I have a mini patch and tilling is required to break down the soil that becomes compacted over the growing season.

9/20/2009 10:37:56 PM

Minnesota

The book "Backyard Giants" talked about someone out west, J. Larue maybe, he never tills his patch and has great results.

9/20/2009 11:05:18 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

There are advantages to no till. You save your earthworms, for one thing. Plus you save your organic matter. Tilling the soil and mixing in air with the OM will help the soil bacteria break it down into CO2. I have seen side by side comparisons in Iowa cornfields of long term notill and tillage, and the improvement in the soil from no till is very evident.

Maybe using plywood shoes like Don Young would help prevent some of the compaction. In northern areas where you get deep frost, the freeze-thaw cycle will break up a lot of compaction. Maybe limiting tillage to just the tire tracks of the truck that hauls your pumpkin out may be reasonable.

9/20/2009 11:11:12 PM

Upstate S.C.

Human's DO very much so compact the soil, HOWEVER we don't even come close to mother nature. I belive someone mentioned it earlier. Rain compacts THE WHOLE patch like nothing else.

9/21/2009 6:48:26 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Well then if rain compacts the soil then here in Southern New England the soil is packed to the max.

9/21/2009 7:13:52 PM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

Anyone ever hear of a garden fork, they are out there but as usual us humans prefer a faster method like the tiller. Some growers do their whole patch this way and its alot of work but they seem to have great results and are in good shape!

9/22/2009 6:17:21 AM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

Rain compaction usually is in just the top couple of inches, unless you get something like the southern states just got. You just don't get enough weight all at once to compact very deep. A fork is better for your earthworms, as you won't chop them up like a rototiller or a shovel will.

9/22/2009 9:37:19 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

ground freeze and snow compacts my soil pretty hard come spring.

Glenn

9/22/2009 10:28:52 AM

Bemidji Minnesota

Maybe Till once every couple years?

Or just in the fall when new OM is added? Then use the fork in the spring?

How about adding some odd elements? Is there any type of rubber or styrofoam that would not leach nasty chemicals into the soil that would keep it from getting packed in?

9/23/2009 4:47:30 PM