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Zurich, Ontario Canada

I recently read a book called growing giant pumpkins the organic way. There is a part in the book where he suggests not to till amendments into the soil, but rather put them on top. That is totally against my way of thinking but maybe i've been doing it wrong. Any thoughts or advice on this!!!!

10/23/2011 5:30:56 PM

New Zealand

Howdy Joe that book is full of the best advice mate but when it comes to no till most growers draw the line, I done no till last year (my first year) and grew a 1095 so i can't argue the results however I bought a tiller this year because most growers are still tilling. I only till once before plants go in to really mix in my manure and loosen up the soil, however I noticed the ground was quite lose and loaded with worms prior to tilling (probably from following Don Langavin's advice)

10/23/2011 7:52:20 PM

Rhode Island

tilling is the prefered method at the wallace patch. how else do you expect to get the fall ammendments, manure or compost ,etc, into the soil.also in spring to help get things working.
also no till can equal hard pan (hard soil especially below the surface ) and you dont want that either.
dont worry about tilling up some worms. theres plenty more you wont kill.
the soil needs to breath and cant if its hard and crusted over.
pap

10/23/2011 10:09:18 PM

Netherlands

It depends on your soil and winter conditions. I have never tilled, just put the amendments on top and forked them in a bit or just left them on top. We don't have much frost here, but lots of rain. By planting time, everything is right where you want it and there are more worms than you can count.

10/24/2011 3:58:36 AM

Long Island,New York

Pap- I always found I had two-three times MORE worms after freshly tilling.........

10/24/2011 5:47:08 AM

Muddy Waters

You can buy worms,or go nite crawler hunting from your front yard,then toss in patch.Better yet your neighbors lawn.

10/24/2011 7:15:05 AM

Macomb County

My understanding of no till is nitrogen volatilizes and is lost to the atmosphere when things like manure are left on top of the soil. Another name for no till is sheet composing. I guess it depends what your N requirements are.
    
On the whole, I’d follow Pap’s advice. Unless your soil is loose sandy loam, tilling helps break-up hard pan and clay by getting the amendments deeper into the soil.

10/24/2011 9:02:37 AM

Ashby, MA

I just tilled in 4 yards of aged horse manure and 2 yards of very aged grass clippings (was like a smelly paste as if I was spreading peanut butter over my patch). Tilling all of that in helps spread and mix it into the patch. Just don't see the benefit of having it sit on top.

10/24/2011 12:18:28 PM

North Smithfield, RI

Leaving grass clippings on top of the soil encourages mold and fungal diseases . Best to till in leaves, grass clippinps, manure etc in the fall !

10/24/2011 6:05:19 PM

Rapid City, SD

no air in da soil means bad news

10/24/2011 8:49:40 PM