Top 3 No-Till Gardening Techniques

A no-till garden reduces the amount of work every spring and fall by eliminating the need to turn the soil. No-till gardens are easy to set up and once they are complete very little maintenance is required. Gardeners who would rather spend their time doing something other than double-digging new garden beds will love this type of gardening.

Soil Bags

A soil bag garden is the easiest type of garden to set up. Use 40 pound soil bags for this method. Each bag should measure approximately 3 feet by 2 feet. Choose the inexpensive topsoil or garden soil bags as plants require the heavier, gritty soil to grab onto. Stay away from the expensive bags, they are not necessary. You can purchase topsoil bags for around $1.25 each.

A soil bag garden bed consists of five soil bags. Lay the bags side-by-side, so that the long sides are touching. Cut the top off of each bag, leaving a one-inch border around the edges of the bag. Punch a couple of holes in the bottom of the bag to allow for drainage. Add organic fertilizer and plants. Cover the entire bed with mulch.

The advantages of a soil bed garden are that pests such as cutworms are eliminated and you do not have to deal with weeds. The bags are good for one growing season. At the end of the season refresh the soil, add it to a compost pile or turn the bed into a permanent garden. This method is great for renters. Gardeners who are unsure of where to put a permanent bed prefer this method.

Cake Layer Method

The cake layer method of no-till gardening takes a little work. This method works best when the bed is small enough to reach from all sides. A three foot wide bed will allow anyone to easily reach the plants. Once the garden bed is in place, never walk on it. Cake layer gardens can be more expensive than soil bag gardens if you need to purchase weed-free hay or straw.

Build your cake layer garden starting with a layer of newspaper. Pile these up to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Cover this layer with 5-inches of weed-free straw or hay. Add a 3-inch layer of compost on top of the straw. Repeat the entire process two more times. You can plant greens or shallow rooted plants immediately in the top layer. For root crops and deep rooted plants like tomatoes, wait a season before planting. At the end of the growing season, add a new layer of newspapers, straw and compost. This will sit and decompose over the winter.

Chickens

Let your chickens do the tilling for you. Mark off the area where you want to put your garden. If there is sod or grass on the area, mow it with your mower set on the lowest setting. Use a mulching mower if possible. Throw a layer of compost over the mowed grass. Bring the chickens to the marked off area and make sure that they are secure from predators. Some gardeners use chicken tractors for this purpose.

Allow your chickens all the time they need to peck and scratch through the new garden area. They will gladly remove grubs, insects and weed seeds from the area. It is a win-win situation as the chickens get a good meal and you get a pest and weed free garden. As a bonus, the chickens will have incorporated the compost into the top few inches of the soil.

Any garden can be a no-till garden using these techniques. Why not spend your time and money on plants and enjoying the outdoors instead of lugging out a heavy tiller or double-digging your beds.