This year we are trying lots of new ideas and methods here on our small city homestead. New gardens, new plants to try, no till gardening methods to implement, and hopefully new results. This is how we learn what works and what doesn’t work. We grow from our failures and learn from them. We rejoice for a job well done and a reward where we have achieved our goals. Hopefully, through this process of living and learning we will remember to pass on our failures and our achievements so that someone else can learn as we are.
Adding to The Homestead
We set out to expand our garden this year by added to our existing small space in the back corner of our yard. This garden was put in last year (2021) and is also very new. There are a few raised beds and a few in ground areas. This was just not enough room for my vision this year. That is when I decided to expand!
What is The No Till Gardening Method?
After doing some research, I decided to try the “No Till Gardening” method. I Believe this way of gardening will be easier for me to establish new growing areas. My first thoughts were inspired by watching this You-Tube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZErovOnP8QI, by Joe Gardner. I instantly wanted to know more about trying a way that was easier on the soil and better for my plants. Learning about the benefits of not tilling was a game changer for my gardening plans.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are times to use your tiller in the garden. If there is a better way for gardening in certain areas or times, then I say use it. However, when we till the soil, we disturb the soil food web and natures infrastructure. This is not what we want for our plants. We want soil that is full of carbon and nitrogen. When we till, we lose some of the important nutrients that our soil and plants need.
With the no till method, it is recommended to smother the top layer of ground. You can use a variety of items ranging from cardboard to newspaper. Add a thick layer of organic matter on top of this first layer. For this layer, you could use composed manure, leaf mulch, straw, or even grass clippings. Doing this helps to weigh down the cardboard or other material used, as well as breaking down the original layer of soil. Finally, you top this layer with wood chips, if you have them. This new area will then be ready to plant in the next season.
My “No Till Method”
This no till gardening method of mine is a little different because….. I have no patience. I just can’t help myself. So, I have improvised and come up with my own method. I use the same technique with a few variations so I can plant in the new “No Till” bed immediately.
I outlined my vision for the new garden by edging out the area with a shovel. Then, I topped the lawn with a heavy layer of leaf compost from last fall. To this, I added a layer of seasoned composted cow manure that was safe to use for planting this year.
Using a pitchfork, I went through and aeriated the soil. This tore bits of the grass underneath and let some of the composed leaf mulch and manure I added sink down into those holes. You can buy a broadfork to use for this, but I improvised since I wasn’t sure if I would like this technique. Here is a link to a broadfork that I am considering purchasing for next season https://meadowcreature.com/collections/broadforks.
This may be hard to envision, but I simply stabbed the soil with the pitchfork and wiggled it so the soil underneath would loosen up a bit. I feel as if I got the same results as if I would have used the broadfork. I then let this area set for a week to let things settle a bit. Finally, I topped it with more leaf mulch and added a top soil blend in the areas that I would be planting my seedlings. And “wala”, I created a new bed ready for planting.
I ended up with two nice sized rows for planting. I also added a new triangle section in front of a raised bed from last year. This whole process was a leap of faith. I was worried that I would ruin my seedlings that I worked so hard to nurture through the winter months and early spring. I had grown the crops I was using for this experiment before in another section of garden. So, I knew I could at least grow them, but had no idea if this new space with new soil would work.
The Results
This method exceeded ALL my expectations for sure. This was the best crop of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower I had ever grown. The soil stayed nice and loose due to the leaf mulch that was added. I noticed lots of earthworms as well. There are other factors that helped in the overall growth and performance of plants, like a great start as seedlings. Here is an article on how I start my brassica plants from seed if you would like to check it out for some great tips Planting Cabbage. This article goes over fertilizers and timing which plays a big role in total plant performance as well as soil.
This No Till Gardening Method is by far the easiest and best way to start out a new garden area. I would say “YES” to the no till gardening method and proved that it truly does work.
Below, I have added some photos. They are of the progress during this year’s growing season. These new rows were not only used for spring crops, but I also planted a summer crop of beans which did amazing! I just planted some fall veggies and I’m so excited to see how they turn out.
Hopefully you will give The No Till Gardening Method a try and, I truly hope you found something in this article useful. If so, leave me a comment. Happy Planting.
Check my Fall Garden Tour and the first tour of 2023!
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