How does no till work without beds?
 

How does no till work without distinct beds? I have a 33 x 33 foot vegetable garden that has 16" rows for planting; 24" walkways between each row (plenty of space for growth and ventilation).
I do as little tilling as possible... I really plan on only tilling once a year to add my host of amendments. Mulching heavy after that.

My impression of no-tillers is that many of them seem to be gardening in beds.. this seems simple considering you really never have to walk in beds.

With my current set up, though, how could one really go full on no-till?? Having to walk up and down every 16" would compact things to concrete, no?? Is my current practice the most ideal for what I'm doing, or do y'all have any adjustment recommendations?

I'd suggest reversing your paths and planting strips,do 24" planting strips and 16" walking paths,but why not do wider beds to begin with, you'll utilize your growing area much more efficiently?
Your planting area won't compact as long as you stay off of it,you could plant tillage radish or any long type radish as a fall cover crop,that way you'll be able to get your amendments down in the soil where you want them, I plant at least five different species for a cover crop (legume, grasses,brassica,cereals,and chenopods)there's amazing things that happen when you have at least these five species in your cover crop,well I better quit,I tend to really get into this subject.

I have a back area I no till in and it does really well.
Not all soil is conducive to instant no till and would take years to get to that point.

I don't mean to argue but I believe all soil is conducive to no-till, but its up to you to get the biology started ,a huge movement is going on in putting into practice this concept, it's really taking root,huge farms are converting to a more sustainable way of growing crops,and it's proving it's success by a more profitable bottom line,and that's what's driving the farmers to make the switch.

I agree, biscuitridge. I do no till (although I do have two raised beds that came with the house) and the idea of layering your compost on top and repeat layering when it breaks down, creates beautiful soil over time. Earthworms are also plentiful. It greatly reduces the number of weeds, and soils don't compact. The breakdown of the compost creates compost tea on it's own. I use wood chips from a tree cutter, but have used leaf litter, rabbit and chicken compost, garden compost in combination with the chips. It has a great combo of leaves and branches and is a pretty good balance of "green" and "brown." When planting seed, I pull back the top layer of wood chips until I hit soil. I plant the seeds in the soil and wait for the seedlings to get several inches high and then push the chips back around the plant. For started plants like peppers and tomatoes, I use a spade to create my hole and place the plant in. No need to push the chips away for larger plants. This method greatly reduces the amount of watering I do also.
I live in a humid, high rain area, so my chips do break down rather quickly.
Finding wood chips can be challenging. Much harder here than my previous location. I'm starting over here so we'll see how it goes. I am currently building the larger garden, and first put down paper over the grass and am spreading 3-4 inches of wood chips over the paper. The grass will become compost over the next several months. The soil does get much better with time. Big thing to remember is do NOT mix the wood chips with the soil Just keep layering as needed.

Here are my pros with no till:
Increasingly better rich soil over time
Low weeds/what weeds you do get pull up MUCH more easily
Low watering needs
Even with lots of rain, the wood chips seem to absorb excess rain
Soil doesn't compact

Here are my cons:
Excess earthworms attract moles. I just find the tunnels annoying.
The chips also attract pill bugs that help break down the chips which is good, but they also damage seedlings which is why you need to push the chips away from seeds until seedling are several inches high.

That's been my experience. :-)

I said instant no till in other words plant something in it and watch it grow.
You cant do that in many places that have this on the surface, by the way which I have lived on.
My front yard you will not instant grow on with no till it takes time to build the soil.

No argument just misunderstanding.:)

This is what I have in places around my area.


[URL]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caliche-5731.jpg[/URL]


[URL="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjn6962lbTfAhUKd6wKHaqQD-8QFjAAegQICRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCaliche&usg=AOvVaw2_DYXu2-F7C6xcFZ9aL3LO"]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjn6962lbTfAhUKd6wKHaqQD-8QFjAAegQICRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCaliche&usg=AOvVaw2_DYXu2-F7C6xcFZ9aL3LO[/URL]

[url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliche#Caliche_and_gardening[/url]

At Rodale's experimental farm they do no till which are just raised areas of soil between pathways. These are fairly far apart but you can get the idea.

[B]Thanks for all the replies![/B]
2017 was my first year growing in this spot... so it's still very near "virgin" soil state.
I have Savannah Series fine sandy loam, per soil test through University of Arkansas ([url]https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SAVANNAH.html[/url])

[QUOTE=biscuitridge;721726]I'd suggest reversing your paths and planting strips,do 24" planting strips and 16" walking paths,but why not do wider beds to begin with, you'll utilize your growing area much more efficiently? [/QUOTE]

I've been thinking of this... Also been considering doing double-wide rows (32-34" wide).

Which would be more advantageous for root growth and competition between plants? More space between rows, though compacted, or more plants closer together due to double row, but with lighter; unwalked on soil.

[B]Opinions?[/B]

[QUOTE=biscuitridge;721726]I'd suggest reversing your paths and planting strips,do 24" planting strips and 16" walking paths,but why not do wider beds to begin with, you'll utilize your growing area much more efficiently?
[/QUOTE]
I guess if you are growing radishes, beets or carrots or some other low and non-bushy you may be able to tip-toe through a 16" path. One must consider the room needed for carts, equipment, wheelbarrows, etc., as well.
I agree with and why bother with single 16" planting strips, you should definitely double up the planting rows to 30-36" wide, but I'd personally like the same distance for walking rows too.

After a few years of no tilling you can't compact your garden soil any more by walking on it than compacting your yard when you are walking across it. Tilling on the other hand really compacts your soil. Sure it looks all nice and fluffy right after you do it but wait until you have a hard rain.


As an experiment in a little area take a flat piece of land and till it and it will become a mud hole. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. :)

[QUOTE=rhines81;721784]I agree with and why bother with single 16" planting strips, you should definitely double up the planting rows to 30-36" wide, but I'd personally like the same distance for walking rows too.[/QUOTE]

Came up with a new garden design.. total plantable space went from 37% in the old design to 63%! Using 3' wide planting rows with 18" and 24" walkways depending on the crops.
As said, before I did 2' walkways on all rows.. I dont use carts of equipment that require rows any wider.

Awesome, way to go! !

[QUOTE=seaeagle;721788]After a few years of no tilling you can't compact your garden soil any more by walking on it than compacting your yard when you are walking across it. Tilling on the other hand really compacts your soil. Sure it looks all nice and fluffy right after you do it but wait until you have a hard rain.


As an experiment in a little area take a flat piece of land and till it and it will become a mud hole. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. :)[/QUOTE]

This is what the problem is with deforestation of the amazon rain forest.
They go in clear out the land and the rain has nothing to slow it down so it compacts the more or less poor soil to the point it is useless for anything.
In a handful of years it is like red concrete.

The only good thing that has came out of the deforestation is they have found out just how advance and plentiful these people were many years ago.

It works sort of like that in the Pacific Northwest too. At the border of the Hoh rain forest National Park. In the park a foot or better of soft organic leaf mold/humus/duff, like walking on a soft carpet. Just outside it was logged and it was just a lot of large gravel ( 2 to 4 inch) and scrub growth. Not compacted, just all washed way.

Not to disagree with any views here already, but.
If you garden in a place that has almost no organic matter and no N, P or K in the soil from 4" down then it makes some sense to incorporate some compost into the subsoil through cultivation.
Also, if you live in a place where the annual rainfall is 14" then there really isn't a concern about mudholes or heavy downpours.
Point being that it's a great big country and sometimes the common rules about no till will work sometimes, someplaces but sometimes they won't.

In the fall, collect your neighbors' leaf bags from their trash. Dump a zillion bags of leaves on your garden in the fall. They'll begin rotting down. If you can get other things during the year, like grass clippings, pulled weeds (without seeds), etc., dump them on. Let any wood chips be on top. Plant in the underlying dirt, though, the first year. Once the additives become dirt, plant in those.

My space is at a premium in my 11' x 39' garden. I do this:
fence | 3' row | 1' path | 3' row | 1' path | 3' row | fence
with a 3' row across the two short ends, with a 1' cross path on each end and one cross path in the middle.

Giving sheet mulching a go for the upcoming season - have never done it before. This bed here was layered with:

Cardboard
Rabbit manure
Leaves
Chicken Coop bedding + chicken manure
more chicken manure + rabbit manure
wood mulch

Hope to get a few more of these going, probably with some black plastic down between the beds and around the perimeter. We have a terribly time keeping the creeping grass at bay here.

Sean, do you plan to plant above or beneath the cardboard?

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;723186]Sean, do you plan to plant above or beneath the cardboard?[/QUOTE]

I was hoping to put tomatoes here, so in that case - it would be below. However, having never done this before, I'm not sure how well this is all going to break down by the time I would be putting tomatoes in - around April 15th or a little after.

[url]https://returntonow.net/2018/01/27/no-till-gardening-revolution-farmers-putting-plows/?fbclid=IwAR1PjZAP8aM0hnnfnty_tIM8c4af5X7Vv6W5DXGxS94KFfAC9YjYfcvpzlI[/url]

Check out Charles Dowding for no till ........ wonderful videos


[URL]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg[/URL]

Lol, you beat me to mentioning charles dowding!!

Manure has been piled up in pallet bins.

Just add composted material on top. No till in. No fork in.

Four foot rows that we walk on and it doesnt compact. With 24 or 30 inch walkway that will be filled with bark just because the refuse from a dozen trees needs a job and slick when wet walkways are not fun.

Got the courage to follow this method when ling time grain producer switched to no-till and ten years later his fields are a rich dark brown humus rich soil.

Yes, we really do walk on the beds.

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;723186]Sean, do you plan to plant above or beneath the cardboard?[/QUOTE]

Thought I'd follow up on this now that I have some things in the ground. First off, let me say that on top of what was shown in the original picture was more rabbit poop and another chicken coop cleaning and a dump of the grill ash bucket. I do a lot of BBQ smoking, so it's got some good char in there. Then the chickens found it... little buggers. We're on 2.2 acres with our house right in the middle. This is on the left side of the house and the chickens are on the right. They didn't typically wander this way.

Since they found this spot, they've been wandering all over now lol. Anyhow, look back to the first picture. Nice and thick. Now with plants (squash/Zucchini and two tomatoes) - they've leveled it on out pretty much. All dug down and planted below the cardboard/surface layer. I back filled with rabbit poop and some of the dirt that came out of the planting hole. Squash were put in maybe 2 weeks ago, maters maybe 1 week ago. (I have no idea why the forums rotated the picture... :surprised: )

[QUOTE=berryman;722113]Not to disagree with any views here already, but.
If you garden in a place that has almost no organic matter and no N, P or K in the soil from 4" down then it makes some sense to incorporate some compost into the subsoil through cultivation.
Also, if you live in a place where the annual rainfall is 14" then there really isn't a concern about mudholes or heavy downpours.
Point being that it's a great big country and sometimes the common rules about no till will work sometimes, someplaces but sometimes they won't.[/QUOTE]

Going back to original statements and questions.
With my worthless opinion.

1 No till will work just about any place.
Some places it will take longer and isn't cost effective for some people.

2 you dont have to incorporate compost into the soil by tilling worms will do it.

3 not all compost is the same
Some compost from organic material such as leaves and so on wont have any nutrients in it to speak of.
All it is is a soil builder not a fertilizer.
Hot composting this type of stuff uses up nitrogen.
Manures are different so dont compare the two.
Cold composting is better than hot composting plant material.

Plant roots dont push their way through the soil they grow through the soil by way of cell growth.
Soil does not have to be all fluffy and loose for plants to grow in it.
My first very successful no till garden was way back in 1982. ;)

All I did was mow the grass down way short scrape off excess and planted seeds.
No fertilizer lots of earthworms.
This was in a back yard in Austin that had never seen a garden or tiller.
Best cantaloupe crop ever.








.

The key for me is keeping the soil covered at all times. I add amendments, rake in, and recover. My beds are just raised soil.