Growing Root Crops in No-Till Soil #shorts

I like rototilling! I really do. In fact, when I committed to growing food for myself and for market years ago, the first piece of equipment I bought was a rototiller. Knowing what I know now, that investment could have been better spent in different areas!

Today, that original rototiller sits parked in our shed, and instead of beating our soil to a fine powder once or twice a year, we now maintain the health of our soil with the appropriate use of compost, hand tools, and covers.

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[VegetableAcademy]

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[djbigmessthewizard]

When I first learnt about permaculture I believed in no-till also but now after expanding my Gardens for many years and adding high quality terra pretta every time I tilled the soil, as well as compost teas, cover crops and broad forking. I've discovered ways to regenerate horrible soil into epic gardens while using my Rototiller. My favourite definition of tillage was by jessie frost he said it's away or turning the soil that causes damage in the long run. It explains its complexity simply.

[grovermartin]

Thanks for the clay soil feedback. The loose, friable soil definitely looks better, but I can see it would retain moisture better.

[tempestive]

Roots from previous plants on the spot are part of what creates these spaces by decomposing. Good pointers on here, subbed.

[joanramler]

We’ve been using no till permaculture or lasagna gardening in our clay soil east of Edmonton for the past 7 years. With this gardening method we never need to loosen the soil in any way. Our carrots and parsnips are huge in spite of an extremely dry July/august/sept in our area. (We hand watered once or twice). Love, love no-till gardening!

[munchkin]

Then what causes some carrots to come out looking like they have been possessed by an alien? Lol

[snek]

fun botanical fact: potatoes are actually underground stems! They have buds, and only stems can have buds

[Alyss]

I've never tilled my garden because it always seemed like too much effort, and I haven't had problems with things growing so long as I rotate crops mindfully, and add my compost diligently. One of my friends was shocked that I've never tilled, as her family has done it going back generations, so I'm glad to hear that the no-till movement is gaining traction!

[linedezainde]

You are so right: it's difficult to imagine that it works! But I will give it a try!!

[christinemaney]

Those be some pretty parsnips fo sho.
I can’t image though (despite the massive and healthy look of that harvest, !) that a looser soil wouldn’t have given them an easier push through the soil and space to stretch out, no?

[Eddie_and_Molly]

My granddaddy tried telling me this after I spent tons of time amending my soil lol

Nature knows what she's doing, for sure

[Howwerelivingfishing]

Instead of no till, do ONE till. If you have compaction in the first 8 inches of soil there’s no point in not tilling. Just don’t till once you’ve got it right.

[ACScomputerbuild]

It depends on your soil composition if it's a heavy clay soil there is no way you would have the same results sandy soils do well in no till but compaction can still be a problem

[malcolm]

Its clear that the more you break up the soil the more water is released to the atmosphere so you need to apply more water. Also you expose soil carbon to oxygen producing CO2.

[diverdave]

come on now ... for the last 15 years i load up the garden with 18 to 24 inches of mulched leaves to rot over the winter . In the spring I rototill them into the soil = big and tasty vegetables !

[MistressOP]

No till shouldn't be that compact. It's actually less and less compact over time. Which is part of the problem because you have to step on good no till soil to refirm it back up. I've done it with a couple of different soil types but you might have one i've not work with before. There's also two ways you can grow root crops no till in early crap soil. You can actually grow it in a cardboard box. Then at the end of the season you just spread it back out.

[danielbole]

I love your videos! My girlfriend and I are gonna apply everything 😍

[cindybogart]

I just realized… I’ve never had parsnip?

[devvoedm_]

You a tree planter sir? Beautiful parsnips btw!

[oussamabrik]

How do you deal with small animal like squirrel