Winter soil amendment

[SandraMort]

I'd like to have a garden next spring, as it's too late for this year. If I pick a spot, what can I do to make it fabulous over the winter? I was thinking putting down a lot of composted horse manure and maybe putting in a cover crop that can be tilled under in the spring? Is there anything USEFUL that I can grow, perhaps as chicken food or bedding? I'm also on BYC and have birdies to consider...

 

[patandchickens]

My suggestion would be *not* to use a green manure (cover crop) in this case. They're useful if you have good ground that would otherwise be lying open for a significantly long time. However, if I understand correctly that isn't really the case here because you will be starting up a whole new bed.

When starting up a whole new bed your three big issues are to amend it as needed, improve the texture of the soil, and eradicate as many weeds as possible. None of these will really be possible to the fullest extent if you plant a cover crop.

If it were me, I would first hand-pull any really obnoxious large perennial weeds (thistle mainly), then use a shovel to dig it all over and upend the clods of soil so they are grass side DOWN. (If you do not want to dig, you can skip this step and instead put down a layer of half a dozen sheets of dampened newspaper over the grass before proceeding). Then dump your amendments on top and LEAVE IT BE except for walking through once every week or two and pulling out all visibly growing weeds. Keep weeding til the ground freezes solid; resume when it thaws.

When things become workable in spring, you can just use a spading fork or shovel to lightly turn the top layer in, and then a rake to cure lumpiness (or you can use a tiller instead of these hand implements but IMO it is not nearly as good for the soil), and you will have a really good bed to plant into next year.

There are of course a lot of ways to skin a cat but this is what I'd suggest. If OTOH you do decide to use a green manure crop, just for heavens sake pick something ANNUAL and MOW IT BEFORE IT SETS SEED. Otherwise you will just be creating massive amounts of pernicious weeds in your garden bed

Good luck and have fun,

Pat

 

[SandraMort]

Can you explain to me why people say that tillers aren't good for the soil? I've heard it before but never with any explanations.

 

[patandchickens]

the main advantage of tillers is that you can physically work over a large area relatively rapidly with relatively little manpower (not that running a tiller isn't work! ) -- so you can chop up annual weeds, physically break up compacted soil (but see below), and mix in soil amendments, all significantly more rapidly than if it was just you and your trusty shovel or fork.

the main DISadvantages of tillers are:

- I don't know about sandy soils but on clay soils they can destroy soil texture by finely pulverizing it and then when watered and settled it compacts down tightly which makes it hard for air and water and roots to penetrate. This can be short-term 'cured' (or seem to be) by re-tilling, but it is only ever just a temporary fix, whereas encouraging clayey soils to clump together into larger particles to give a lighter airier texture to the soil is a more permanent and self-sustaining tactic. Furthermore tillers mix everything up pretty homogeneously, but I honestly think most plants do better with a more natural 'chunky' soil that has variation in it, including pockets with more organic matter and pockets with less and so forth, which is more like what you get when you use a shovel or fork.

- tillers repeatedly work the soil to a set depth and create a sudden horizon there, below which the soil is untouched. This can create a hardpan that roots and water have trouble penetrating.

- ANYthing that stirs up the soil -- mechanical tillers but also any sort of turning it over with a shovel etcetera -- will bring a buncha weed seeds to the surface. In many cases it is quite possible and practical to use no- or minimal-till methods where you simply do not disturb the soil and thus have a whole lot less weeds coming up to deal with.

For some things, most notably high-yield market-garden type operations, it may indeed be the case that tillers give you a better profit margin and higher production (I do not *know* this but some people who ought to be in a position to know do feel it's the case so I am willing to believe). However, tillers are definitely a double-edged sword and not necessarily a good solution for every garden.


Pat

 

[Tutter]

You're right, it's not really the same issue with sandy soil.

Mostly it's a matter of whether or not you can physically manage a garden by yourself. Or want to, I guess. If you can't, and it's between having a garden, or not, or it being difficult for you in some way; I'd till.

 

[patandchickens]

Mostly it's a matter of whether or not you can physically manage a garden by yourself. Or want to, I guess. If you can't, and it's between having a garden, or not, or it being difficult for you in some way; I'd till.

It actually works *both* ways, physical-ability wise. I cannot run a tiller even if I want to, because even just 15 minutes of the vibration leaves me with nearly-numb hands for a week. I assume it is some sort of borderline carpal tunnel syndrome type thing. Only heavily-vibrating machinery bothers it, though.

Pat

 

[Tutter]

That's true, they can really vibrate!

I guess each person has their own limitations, and should know them. If one can hand dig and a tiller isn't able to be used, they they hand dig. Or vice versa.

Or, better yet, get someone else to do it!

 

[Beekissed]

Doesn't tillage release carbon from the soil, destroy the beneficial nematodes and irradiate the soil?

Then dump your amendments on top and LEAVE IT BE except for walking through once every week or two and pulling out all visibly growing weeds. Keep weeding til the ground freezes solid; resume when it thaws.

I agree with all that except leaving the soil bare all winter. I would cover with a good mulch, to protect the soil from packing down with the rain and to develop a dark, moist place for worms to populate, to start naturally amending the soil without extra work.

By doing this, your weeding is minimal, your soil will be looser and more aerated by spring, with all those wonderful worm castings for fertilizer.

 

[patandchickens]

I agree with all that except leaving the soil bare all winter. I would cover with a good mulch, to protect the soil from packing down with the rain and to develop a dark, moist place for worms to populate, to start naturally amending the soil without extra work.

Just to clarify -- I was totally NOT suggesting leaving any soil bare for the winter!! I was suggesting digging/loosening it up and then dumping the amendments (compost, etc) ON TOP OF the soil and LEAVING 'em there over the winter. They themselves are the mulch. Honest, it is completely fine and protects the soil well. A surprising amount of mixing will occur naturally, at least in gardens I've had, and then you finish the job in spring by hand (or by tiller if you really want).

Bare soil over winter would DEFINITELY be a bad idea!

Pat