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Eddyz@efirehose.net

I'm curious to know how many people deep till(8' or more) and how often.
I know some people believe in minimal tilling.
I believe deep tilling is important 12- 18 inches
I till 3 times in the fall (shallow)
I will till 3 times in the spring
Twice at an 18 inch depth to help warm the soil and get air into the soil, and the last will be the top 6 inches.

Eddy

1/23/2005 12:47:16 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

My tiller goes down 12inches, so that's what I do...

1/23/2005 3:32:44 PM

Walkerton Ont

in the spring the patch gets 2 more loads of manure, and then it gets tilled in about 8 inches at least if not more
then it gets leveld out cause of the farrows, then i till it with the garden till where i want to grow my fruit.

1/23/2005 3:40:39 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

Hi Eddy,
What do you use to till 18" deep?
Thanks,
Doug

1/23/2005 8:31:39 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I like the least amount of tilling possible for the conditions to minimize disturbing worms & soil structure. But this should not negate adding & properly incorporating the correct amounts & types of organic &/or mineral amendments.

Generally speaking, deeper is better. The only way I can till this deep is with my friends backhoe. Even his Kubota mounted King-Kutter can't till this deep.

1/23/2005 9:05:19 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Unfortunately, in my area, I can only dig down about 10-12 inches. Below that is a very hard layer of slate? shale? infested light brown clay. This clay layer goes fairly deep, as I discovered when I dug out the pool. So the only way for me to go is up.

1/26/2005 8:58:53 AM

Ohio

Iceman, I just read this article and it seems to me that they like the no till method?(thats the idea i get) What do you get out of it?

http://www.motherearthnews.com/rec/og/2100/


Brooks

1/27/2005 8:53:50 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

You should avoid tilling below the top soil. Some soils have 6" or less of top soil, others can have several feet. The subsoil is often very undesirable and it should be avoided. Keep in mind that organic materials i.e. Manure, compost need to well incorperated in the top soil. This helps the microbs to continue the conversion of plant material to Organic Matter (two different things).

1/28/2005 10:05:56 PM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

First of all I have double tilled. moved the top 8" of dirt, tilled it and then put back the top 8" of soil and tilled again.
Way too much work and then you compact the first till by driving on it to spread the top 8" of soil.
what I have now, is I made a single tooth for a backhoe attachment and that is actually 24 " long and 1.5 inches wide. I will basically rip the soil and then only till the top 6 or 8 inches, I hope this will help the ground to warm faster.
I will use the tooth in the spring. but if you don't have access to machinery, and I did this 3 years ago. I had a guy with a backhoe come in and turn my garden approx. 18 " down.
they work fast and for a cash incentive to the hoe operator, it can be quite cheap, and I think effevtive.
Now since starting this thread I have come to realize that plowing or turning the soil is more effective, actually I talked to a bunch of local farmers and they claim to only till(as in garden tiller) in the fall to do your mixing, and in the spring you should only cultivate, or turn your soil.
They claim tilling pulverizes the soil too much and robs it of nutrients.
Actually Brooks, pretty much like the article you mentioned. it was good in the fact it explains why they claim minimum or no till.
Eddy

1/29/2005 12:31:22 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Backhoe tilling.....I would be laughing my butt off if I hadn't done it too. We really are extreme gardeners aren't we?

1/29/2005 9:21:54 AM