NO-TILL
LOW TILL
NO-DIG
GARDEN
LOW AND NO-TILL GARDENING
WHAT IS NO-TILL GARDENING
(OR NO-TILL FARMING)?
HOW TO CREATE
A NO DIG GARDEN
NO-TILL GARDEN LINKS
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SECTION 1
LOW AND
NO-TILL
GARDENING
Proven tips and solutions for reducing tillage in the home garden.
For many gardeners, tilling the garden is as much a part of the spring
gardening routine as fertilizing and planting. Gardeners come to rely
on tillage to prepare a clean, fluffy seed bed, kill weeds, and simply
turn the page. Tillage has other benefits too, including helping warm
up the soil for planting, but increasingly gardeners are tuning in to
some of the downsides of tillage and are exploring a new way of
gardening with less tillage.
Tillage and Soil Health
There are three types of soil health indicators, sometimes referred to
as the three-legged stool of soil health:
The physical structure, or “house”, of the soil. The physical structure of
the soil affects drainage and retention of water, soil erosion, surface
crusting and more.
The biological properties refer to life in the soil, from earthworms to
bacteria to fungi. These organisms form a food web that decomposes organic
matter and releases nutrients in the process.
The chemical properties of the soil are macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus
and Potassium) and micronutrients, pH and more.
Low and No-Till Gardening
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/low-and-no-till-gardening
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SECTION 2
WHAT IS
NO-TILL GARDENING
(OR NO-TILL FARMING)
No-till gardening, also known as ‘no-dig’ gardening, is the practice
of avoiding the intentional disruption of soil. Rather than using
plows, spades, hoes, or other tools to routinely “turn over” soil,
it is more or less left alone. Additionally, many no-till gardeners
choose to leave the roots of spent plants in place. At the end of
the growing season, we cut plants out at the soil line (or just below
the soil) with pruners or a small hand saw – rather than yanking out
the entire plant and root system.
In the no-till world, instead of mixing amendments deep into the soil,
slow-release organic fertilizers, compost, and/or mulch materials are
added to the top of the soil on occasion. Those things, along with the
left-behind plant roots, slowly break down to rejuvenate the soil and
provide food for new plants. Think about a wild, natural environment
like a meadow or forest floor. Is it ever tilled? Nope! Instead, plant
material rises and falls in place, providing a cycle of mulch, nutrients,
and biomass.
The Benefits of No-Till Gardening
Allowing Mother Nature to do her thing by not tilling soil can boost the
health and vitality of your garden in numerous ways! You’ve likely already
gleaned some of the benefits of no-till gardening from what we’ve explored
already, but here is a recap:
Studies show that no-till farming increases soil biological diversity, fertility,
resiliency, water retention, organic matter, nutrient cycling, and crop yield
over plowed soil.
By not tilling, the natural soil structure isn’t compromised. Important air pores
within the soil are preserved, thus reducing water runoff and soil compaction.
This also leads to less water required to irrigate plants.
It doesn’t disturb the established beneficial microbial, fungal, and mycorrhizal
associations within the soil, allowing those critters to continue their good work
down there. Experts say that tilling soil can bring the microbial activity within
the soil food web to a complete halt!
The roots left in place in a no-till garden will decompose over time, providing
free organic matter and nutrients to the worms, microorganisms, and other
detritus-eaters in the soil – which in turn feeds plants!
The more a garden mimics nature, the easier it is to maintain! We’ve found that
the longer we’ve had our no-till garden (and the more mature the organic living
soil has become) the pest and disease issues have declined. More beneficial
insects are present, and things have struck a natural balance.
No-till gardening saves you time, effort, and physical labor. It makes preparing
beds and planting new crops significantly easier.
What is No-Till Gardening
(or No-Till Farming)?
https://homesteadandchill.com/no-till-gardening-benefits/
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SECTION 3
HOW TO
CREATE A
NO DIG
GARDEN
Gardening is fun and rewarding, but the digging process can be tiresome.
That’s why a no-dig garden is a great alternative solution to the typical
garden.
Making a no-dig garden is similar to composting, meaning ingredients are
layered to decompose the soil. Vegetables such as kale, chicory, corn,
and tomatoes can be grown in your garden. This type of garden can be set
up in 1 day. Preparing the no-dig garden can be quite a workout, but the
veggies you will grow within 2 to 4 months of planting will save you
several trips to the grocery store!
How to Create
a No Dig Garden
https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-No-Dig-Garden
How to Practice
Sustainable
Agriculture
https://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Sustainable-Agriculture
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GARDEN
IPM
Integrated
Pest
Management
(IPM)
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/garden-IPM
Why you should leave
the roots from your
old garden plants
in the ground
https://www.growjourney.com/why-you-should-leave-the-roots-from-your-old-garden-plants-in-the-ground/#.YBNVlnOSk2w
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SECTION 4
NO TILL
GARDEN
LINKS
Building a Vegetable Garden
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/build-a-garden.html
Charles Dowding
https://charlesdowding.co.uk/
How to Build
a No-Dig Garden
http://soiltosupper.com/how-to-build-a-no-dig-garden/
How To Build A
No-Work Garden
https://gardenculturemagazine.com/how-to-build-a-no-work-garden/
Making Seedballs: An Ancient
Method of No-till Agriculture
https://www.permaculturenews.org/2014/06/18/making-seedballs-ancient-method-till-agriculture/
My Simple No Till
Gardening Method
https://rootsandboots.com/my-simple-no-till-gardening-method/
NO-DIG GARDENING
https://www.veryediblegardens.com.au/iveg/no-dig-gardening/
No-Till Gardening:
An Easier Way to Grow
https://www.growveg.com/guides/no-till-gardening-an-easier-way-to-grow/
No Dig Gardening,
Sustainable Gardening
With Less Effort
https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/no-dig-gardening/
No-Dig Gardening Tips For
Small Farms and Gardens
https://www.treehugger.com/no-dig-gardening-tips-small-farms-gardens-5114352
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No-Till And No-Dig
Gardening Techniques
Gaining Ground
https://gardenculturemagazine.com/no-till-and-no-dig-gardening-techniques-gaining-ground/
Our Guide to
No-Till Gardening
https://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/no-till-gardening
Plan a Vegetable Garden
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/plan-a-vegetable-garden.html
Sustainable Agriculture Program
https://attra.ncat.org/viewhtml/?id=295
Transitioning to
a No-Till Garden
https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/transitioning-to-a-no-till-garden/
What is the no
dig method? Charles
Dowding demystifies
https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-masterclasses/guardian-masterclass-blog/2019/nov/15/what-is-the-no-dig-method-charles-dowding-demystifies
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-sustainable-agriculture
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
https://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/ucsarep/about/what-is-sustainable-agriculture
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Gaia’s
Garden
https://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2011/11/gaias-garden.html
Growing
With
Nature
https://www.growingwithnature.org/
Backyard
Gardener
https://www.backyardgardener.com/
GARDENING
CHANNEL
https://www.gardeningchannel.com/
How To
Garden
Advice
https://howtogardenadvice.com/
Farmer's
Almanac
https://www.almanac.com/
HOW TO
LAY OUT A
VEGETABLE GARDEN
https://www.almanac.com/video/how-lay-out-vegetable-garden?fbclid=IwAR3TMYUo6nOoFURZqJGsCCO0m7bt06mf3Dac8uU9d_RBJ3h0cFimFT_irv4
The Internet
Directory
for Botany
http://www.botany.net/IDB/
Six methods of
plant propagation
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/five-methods-of-plant-propagation/
MIMI
https://en.mimi.hu/index.html
Readers
Digest
https://www.rd.com/
Farmers
Almanac
http://www.almanac.com/
Modern
Farmer
http://modernfarmer.com/
The Encyclopedia
of Life
http://eol.org/
PLANET KIDS
http://www.planetkids.biz/
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