RE: Tilling in mud?

Sue,

I believe the more current research has found that tilling destroys
soil structure and beneficial soil microorganisms (not to mention being
tough on the earthworms). They have found that soils that are mulched
and left alone are superior to those that are tilled annually. The
researchers also found that the organic matter in the untilled beds is
more deeply worked in that of the yearly tilled beds after a period of
years.

I use my Mantis to till the really nasty, compacted clay I have
initially. After that, the earthworms and other soil critters keep the
organic mulches I use well worked into the soil.

Some people have reported excellent success with just piling up a lot
of organic matter on top of the clay and planting in that. So far, I've
found that technique has not done nearly as well as my once-tilled beds.

I would suggest trying some comparisons in your own garden as I've
found things that seem to work quite well for others don't seem to work
at all well in my own garden. Peat, in particular, is a disaster when
mixed with my clay soil although someone must be happy with it as it is
sold by the truckloads here.

Much to my dismay I've also found that by far, my best soil is equal
parts soil, sand and cotton burr compost. Sand is very, very heavy and
expensive.

Only use fresh gasoline in the Mantis. My carburetor got gummed up
from some gasoline that was about 6 weeks old. The people at Mantis
also suggested using the high octane gasoline as well.

If you use a lot of dry soil amendments you can till successfully in
some fairly wet clay. Pile the dry stuff on top before you start
tilling--not too tidy as the dry stuff flies some at first but it works
well.

At 4:16 PM -0500 3/2/99, "Pesznecker, Sue" <SPesznec@lhs.org> wrote:

> And, will till the already-tilled areas, mixing in compost, mulch, peat,
> fertilizer, and whatever else I can find.
>
> Sue
>
> "You play, you pay......"
>
>
>
>
> > No, I can vouch for your comments.  I live minutes from you Sue, and I had
> > someone till to early in the year and had rock clods all summer.
> >
> > I don't till at all nowdays.  I use the Japanese method of smothering in
> > compost and just rocking back the soil with a spading fork every foot or
> > so
> > to aerate.  Works like a charm.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Sue, you were tilling in mud?!  I always heard that you end
> > > up with little
> > > rocks when the soil dried.  I made the mistake of digging
> > > around when the
> > > soil was wet and I ended up with bricks!  The soil was so
> > > unworkable after
> > > that, I ended up scooping off the top and replacing with bagged soil.
> > > Thank goodness I only did a small place for a few new perennials.
> > >
> > > How did the tilling turn out for you?  If you didn't end up
> > > with rocks,
> > > what's your secret?  Maybe it's just my soil...
> > >
> > >
> > > Val in KY
> > > zone 6a
> > >
> > >
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---
Peggy Enes (peggy@unicom.net)   Zone 5/6    NE KS     AHS Heat Zone 7


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