Getting soil ready for planting

[charlz]

Yes, there isn't much point in tilling past the point of where you get the depth you want. Turning your soil into flour/dust doesn't do anything for it.

I think most tillers go down 6-7 inches or so. If you are going to do deep root crops like carrots then you will want to rip that section pretty deep. Carrots are so cheap at the store I don't even bother.

I'm a firm believer that you can never have enough compost. The stuff is like a magic trick, it just disappears. You could work some finished compost in this year, apply it between tilling passes. Manure should be applied something like 3 months in advance of planting so I would avoid that this year if you have it available to you.

I prefer to not broadcast fertilizer and work it in... the stuff that ends up between the rows etc just helps the weeds grow. I like to use Osmocote slow-release and just sprinkle it around the plants.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

i was going to post something similar to farmwithjunk. in doing my readings, i have run across many articles about how over-tilling is bad. this mostly has to do with destroying capilarity and micropores in the soil. the only time you need a really fine seedbed is for very small seeds that can't physically push up through larger clumps of dirt. (lettuce, carrots, etc.) most larger seeds will actually do better in a moderately rough seed bed. larger chunks provide slower and longer release of soil nutriets, allow water to penetrate more deeply, and perhaps most important of all, will allow oxygen to get down to the roots after that first big rain forms the hard crust farmwithjunk mentions.

all of these problems are significantly lessened if you have a nicey loamy soil to start with (rare). if you're like most of us, you have either too much clay/silt or too much sand/rock. the first option gives you the hard crust, the second option gives you drainage and fertility issues.

unless you are blessed with a fertile loam, unfortunately, you should have started soil renovation for this year's garden last year. then you could have done your subsoiling, tilling and sod busting/destruction operations last year, added amendments, and given it the winter to stabilize and settle. then a little spring cultivating and you would have been ready to plant.

but, that opportunity is gone now. your only choice to destroy the sod is to pulverize it beyond recognition or use chemicals. we hope you don't have bermuda in your grass, or it will most likely be a problem for you all year as it can come back from very tiny pieces of rhizome.

i would do the best i can this year and plant lots of green manure crops and a few hardy vegetables and then this fall, do a proper prep. you could also put in some raised beds, focus on soil amendment and focus on fencing the area if deer or other animal pests are a problem in your area.

things will be much easier for you next year.

good luck!

Looks like we're on the same page with this one. One of the worst things about tilling sod is, even if you blast the soil to pure dust, you still have grass and roots. The entire purpose of this exersize is to build a good seedbed.....for whatever it is you're planting.....a proper growing zone....... Fluffy, over-worked dirt and ground chunks of grass roots isn't the best seedbed for many things. If that's the best alternative you have, ?? , well, you go with it. Even nuking grass w/roundup, there's still that pesky grass and roots. Many crops (such as grass seed) don't like a loose, fluffy seedbed. They want FIRM (not to be confused with compacted) soil. Many garden crops follow the same criteria.

I prefer to plow sod under, THEN till, but not OVER till it. I like fall plowing when and where it works.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I never said i plowed mine to dust...and never gave anyone advice to do so....BUT...when you first start plowing in sod, you have to run several passes, (as others have said also.)

Would you call this guys garden dust?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/140090-anyone-chomping-bit-plant.html

The only difference in his and mine is......mine is black.

 

[flusher]

Looks like we're on the same page with this one. One of the worst things about tilling sod is, even if you blast the soil to pure dust, you still have grass and roots. The entire purpose of this exersize is to build a good seedbed.....for whatever it is you're planting.....a proper growing zone....... Fluffy, over-worked dirt and ground chunks of grass roots isn't the best seedbed for many things. If that's the best alternative you have, ?? , well, you go with it. Even nuking grass w/roundup, there's still that pesky grass and roots. Many crops (such as grass seed) don't like a loose, fluffy seedbed. They want FIRM (not to be confused with compacted) soil. Many garden crops follow the same criteria.

I prefer to plow sod under, THEN till, but not OVER till it. I like fall plowing when and where it works.

I rototilled my veg garden a few days ago. It had last season's stubble and some new growth of native plants (aka weeds). Spread a little 13-13-13 that was handy, made three passes with the 32" rototiller on the Bolens G14 garden tractor and the soil was pretty pulverized. Any more passes and I'd be making flour out of my soil. It was windy so I got a good taste of my soil.

I'll let the seedbed rest a few weeks until late frost threat passes and then start planting. Need time to repair/upgrade the irrigation anyway.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I never said i plowed mine to dust...and never gave anyone advice to do so....BUT...when you first start plowing in sod, you have to run several passes, (as others have said also.)

Your exact words were "The more passes with a tiller the better". "Several"? Maybe so if soil needs it. "The more the better"? NOPE. There's a point which more does damage. That begins to happen far sooner than some people apparently realize.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Your exact words were "The more passes with a tiller the better". "Several"? Maybe so if soil needs it. "The more the better"? NOPE. There's a point which more does damage. That begins to happen far sooner than some people apparently realize.

You must not have read the whole thread...others said several passes.

Did you see the link on the other thread? ...what would you call that?

When you first start tilling in sod that has never been turned...the more passes the better....if you want it all chopped up.

I think i know how to plow.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I would put the boxblade teeth as deep as they can go and prep the area. Then take the middle buster and move over 1 foot at a time. Then borrow the tiller and run several passes. Try to put manure on the garden before to give the soil nutrients for the plants health. Good luck. Have fun on your tractor and get lots of seat time!

 

[Egon]

area is 40' by 40'

For an area this size spraying with roundup, wait several weeks and then use a good old spade to turn it over.

Have you considered raised beds. Use the bucket and hoe to skim off the surface black dirt and stockpile for a few weeks. That lets the grass root material break down. In the meantime build some containers for the raised beds. Turn the stockpiled dirt a few times to help break up the sod clumps. When it looks like it has the proper consistency of broken up pieces place it in the raised beds. Note: The proper consistency will vary for different soil types. Lay down some gravel or some other such material between the raised beds. With just a little planning it could end up looking like a sculpted back yard but still have great growing potential. Perhaps even more than an ordinary garden bed due to the depth of the more viable soil.

You could also just stockpile the topsoil as above turning it over a few times and then spread it back down.

A rototiller would be my choice of implement if cultivation was the way to go. Again, roundup or it's equivalent, wait a few weeks and then till. After the initial tilling wait another several weeks and till again and then do this once more to do a better job of eliminating the grass. This procedure must be adapted to your local conditions. Again note that Rototillers are not created equally. Those that have more HP in front of them and longer tines just may go deeper and do a better job with fewer passes. Therefore the tilling procedure just may have to be adapted to the type of tiller available.

Please note that I do not have any Degrees signifying my competencies but I could furnish pictures of my "Garden by the Driveway" established in an area which was hard to mow and therefore converted to other uses. This was heavy rocky clay soil amended by seaweed, chicken manure and sawdust.

Picture attached of rotatilled sod with a subsaquent winter rye crop.

 

[spruce Deere]

Subsaquent winter rye. Did you seed the rye egon or is it just "volunteer"? Different farms here use peas or different annual type ryes to help amend the soil.

 

[careyo63]

Just curious if you guys might think that I may have gotten alittle carried away with the tiller.This is the first year I have used a 3 PH tiller on my mothers garden.The old sears walk behind has proved to much do to an injury.I will have to admit that the early planted crops seems to be doing noticeably better than in the past.