Rototolling–Bad for the Garden?

I hear a lot of gardeners say that tilling is bad for the soil because:

• tillage disrupts the life in your soil
• tillage increases the oxygen levels in your soil (at least temporarily)
• tillage produces a quick flush of plant-available nutrients
• repetitive tillage without replacing your humus and nutrients, will eventually result in significant microbiology reduction, soil compaction, less water holding capacity, less humus, and nutrient leaching

A few recommendations about tilling:

• do as few passes as possible with the tiller
• as soon as you're done tilling, apply a compost tea, and repeat each week for a least a month
• if you're not a tea brewing kind of guy, make sure you apply some form of simple sugar (white sugar works) in water along with a source of nitrogen (e.g. fish hydrolysate) to your soils once a week for at least the next month - this will help to meet the demands of the flourishing microbe populations
• you may want to also add some Effective Microorganisms (EM^TM) to your soil surface
• spread a thin layer (1/2"-1") of compost on top of your soil after tilling
• cover your soils with a mulch (e.g. leaves, straw, hay, etc.) as you "grow" forward

The Basics of Home Composting

Composting is a natural process. Organic materials such as leaves, grass, and vegetable scraps are broken down by microorganisms, forming a rich soil-like substance called compost or humus.

Keys to successful home composting

Organic materials: A good mix consists of three parts "browns" (materials such as dead leaves that are high in carbon) and one part "greens" (such as fresh grass clippings and garden prunings that are high in nitrogen).

Moisture: Composting materials should feel moist but not overly soggy.

Temperature: Compost should feel warm to the touch except in the cold winter months.

Air: To prevent unpleasant odors that can occur when materials decompose without oxygen, compost should be turned regularly to ensure that air is reaching the center of the pile.

 

High Carbon "Browns	High Nitrogen "Greens"	Sources of Composting Organisms
Leaves	Grass	Old Compost
Dead Plants	Green Weeds	Soil
Straw	Manure	Cow Manure
Shredded Paper	Alfalfa or Clover	Chicken Manure
Shredded Twigs	Seaweed or Pond Algae	Horse Manure
Pine Needles	Non-Meat and Non-Dairy Kitchen Scraps	Commercially Available Composting "Starters"
Sawdust from Untreated Wood		Old Compost