no-till, permanent bed gardening

ken hargesheimer · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 6 Location: ,

Every gardener should garden organic, no-till with permanent beds. There is unlimited, documented proof that it is the way to garden. The forest, prairie, jungle, etc. is never plowed and does real well. Your garden will do well also. It is no work. Plant and harvest. Ken H

Dirt Doctor · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Posts: 563 Location: Dallas,Tx

Here, here!

CaptainCompostAL · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 870 Location: Irondale,Alabama

Amen brother!

I've been doing no-till farming now over 8 years. Love it!

umpy · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 23 Location: College Station

I'm putting in a new garden area for my wife & I to tinker in. I would like to make it about 12-18 " above natural ground held there with landscape timbers or such. I like the idea of not having to till in a confined area.
Please advise on what all I need to do and when to start. I'm thinking of
something about 4-6' wide and 12-15' long. We would mix flowers vegetables etc. My main goal is to have a workable soil that she can dig without major effort (she has physical limitations) and still be able to hold water and nutrients in place. Thanks for any advice.

CaptainCompostAL · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 870 Location: Irondale,Alabama

It depends on your personal style and free available organic matter resources.

Since I have an unlimited amount of horse manure/sawdust available to me via a local equine clinic, I use this stuff as 75% of my compost piles, and as a base layer to help smother weeds or cover my topsoil for new lasagne style no-till beds.

First I mow down all the grass or weeds on the new no-till beds. Some folks like using newspapers as a primary weed-suppressing bottom layer on the beds. However I have had good success without using it at all.

I usually put down a thick (6-12") layer of undone compost mulch first over the beds. I put at least 1-2" of a top layer of rich garden dirt or well matured compost on top to guarantee good seed germination. Then I plant my seeds or transplants immediately. I use compost teas as my biostimulant and moisturizer for my new seeds and plants.

For no-till cover cropping, I just spread any form of organic matter over the no-till beds, and sprinkle a layer of legume/grain/grain seeds over the beds. Then water it in. When it's time to green manure, I just mow it down. Wait a week or more. Then plant right through the stuff later.

ken hargesheimer · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 6 Location: ,

I question using crossties. They leak cresote into the soil. Organic Gardening magazine says it is a no-no. Build the high beds. Add your top soil and organic matter. In this situation you might want to buy the organic matter. If cost is a problem, grow it in the beds as a green manure crop. Regardless, over winter, plant it in a cover crop. Alban rye is one. Legume is better so consult with someone there. Never leave the soil bare. I am in Lubbock. Next spring cut it down and do not till into the soil. Leave on top. Open up a path and plant your veggies. Or open up a little area and plant your tomatoes. If hay, etc is available, mulch with it. No digging or tilling. Read books by Ruth Stout. They are out of print but the library should have it. I have a video on her work also. I use cottonseed meal for nitrogen but buy it at the feed store. Hope this helps. Ken Hargesheimer

socklady · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 2

hullo,
this was my second year of not tilling the garden. after last years crop, i laid down newspaper, and straw. that area of the garden, virtually weed free this year. it had been bramble and weed infested to start with. i had laid down plastic the year before and took it up, and no weeds. the garden did great. this year, i put in 3 yards of dirt to widen the garden. i did not put down newspaper first, so i had lots of this weird looking grass coming up in the garden but i pulled it up and just left it to rot. the garden is doing well. my garden is about 20' X 20'. should i plant a cover crop over the winter, or... should i lay down the newspaper and straw like i did last year? should i put down soy meal?
oh, i planted herbs, i figure i will harvest and dry them, and they should come back next year. i planted throughout the garden. i also did companion gardening and had very little trouble with pests. plus, the garden looked great with all of the color.
i am new at this so if anyone can offer any suggestions, i am all ears.
oh, i forgot, i used wood for my border. you know, the wood i burn in the wood stove. i had a few pieces that were too long, and did not fit, and after the winter, i had quite a few left, and so used them as a border, and it looks okay, and the dirt has stayed in place.
jacqueline.

ken hargesheimer · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 6 Location: ,

I could debate it taking either side. You are adding organic matter either way. Most people do not have access to straw so use gm/cc. Soy meal might be used if more nitrogen is needed. If using a cc, using a legume adds N. There are no fast, hard rules. Use what you have. If you add soymeal, add it on top of the mulch [straw] after it is laid.

When I set up my demonstration garden I had the drip lines under the straw. I moved them on top of the straw. The straw never got wet and I think would never have decomposed. Even then, it was slow.
You are doing it right. No-till works!

Ken