Why You Probably Don’t Need to Till Your Garden This Fall
As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your garden for winter. It is generally accepted that tillage – digging up the soil to loosen the structure and loosen the weeds by hand or using a cultivator – should be your first step. But does it really help?
It’s Complicated. On the one hand, tillage is a great way to aerate the soil and integrate compost, both are beneficial. (This is also much easier to do in the fall, when the soil tends to be warmer and more comfortable than in early spring.) On the other hand, tillage largely destroys the ecosystems that earthworms, insects, bacteria, and fungi have spent all spring on. and a summer house that makes the soil less favorable for plants and promotes erosion. Another disadvantage: As pointed out in a blog post from Oldworldgardens.com , tillage pushes surface weeds and seeds deep into the soil, giving them the opportunity to root and take root throughout the winter.
I’m talking about the pros and cons of fall processing, and it should come as no surprise that your decision will depend on your garden. If you have several small patches or beds you can probably skip this – there just isn’t much soil here, so you should avoid anything that contributes to erosion. Instead Almanac old farmer recommends manually dig weeds, stones and other undesirable substances , and then cover the soil mulch and / or sheeting, so that it remains warm in the winter months. For large gardens, you may find the benefits of plowing outweigh the risks, especially if you plan on adding compost and / or fertilizer back to the soil during plowing. Depending on the weather conditions in your area, it may also make sense to take care of it before the ground freezes.
These are not hard and fast rules; this is your garden and you can cultivate it if you like. In any case, it is recommended that you consult with your state university’s expansion department before going for broke. They have proven tips for wintering your garden so you can get started in the spring.