Gardening question

[1stepcloser]

We recently bought our home and it has a HUGE backyard (well, huge by city standards). I want to get a nice large garden going next spring. I was thinking about 10'x30'. We only have lawn right now. Should I till the lawn under NOW v. waiting til spring? Our soil isn't that great but I grew a mini-garden this year and it did fabulous with manure mixed it. Should I start working the soil now?

I am new to this but very dedicated. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[FarmerChick]

NOW NOW

til everything...over and over again. even tilling now might make some of the grass grow back...till again...and again and again.

And the grass needs time to rot.

So over winter it can do that.

Til like crazy and all the while add leaves, compost, critter poop (like manure etc)

It takes time to make that great soil...start right NOW!!!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

We also till up our garden area(s) in the fall. Then we put compost on it all winter long, and during the winter, on days when everything isn't frozen solid, we do random tillings, tilling the compost under.

We do this all winter, and probably only till 1-2 times during actually winter. First good thaw of spring (usually in March) we do another serious tilling. We usually till 2-3 times in 1 week before we make our rows and start planting.

Has worked well for us. Just work that compost in!!

 

[1stepcloser]

Thank you! This brings me to my next question...would you recommend purchasing a tiller? I was going to rent one as I was told I only need to till twice a year. Clearly I was steered wrong on that one.

So....name that tiller?

 

[keljonma]

Three things we have done that have worked well for us.

Put old carpeting over the areas we want the grass to die. Till, cover with the carpet. Leave it on from autumn until spring.

Plant a green manure, like buckwheat, to till into the soil in spring.

Plan the place to put the garden and use that area for the compost heap autumn through winter. Everything goes there, including animal bedding, leaves, kitchen trimmings, coffee and tea grounds.

Don't forget to have the soil tested in the spring for ph level and nutrients.

I would recommend the book The Backyard Homestead. Here is the thread where we discussed this one.

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2422

 

[Blackbird]

LOL.

We only till once a year and everything grows great here.


Just gifted I suppose.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Thank you! This brings me to my next question...would you recommend purchasing a tiller? I was going to rent one as I was told I only need to till twice a year. Clearly I was steered wrong on that one.

So....name that tiller?

Oh yes, BUY a tiller! We've not bought our own yet (it's on the list of must do!) because we've borrowed my FIL's when we need it, but he's getting old and cranky about it.

 

[keljonma]

Or you could look up Ruth Stout. Mother Earth News did a number of stories about her "no work" gardening method. (Check the February/March 1999 and February/March 2004 issues.)

Ruth Stout's books: How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back and Gardening Without Work for the Aging, the Busy and the Indolent are great reads, if you can find them.

Her brother, Rex Stout, wrote the Nero Wolfe mysteries.

 

[BeccaOH]

Last year I didn't get my garden tilled before fall, so I only tilled once in the spring. But I do recommend a fall till. Having a tiller on hand is very nice. I have some old model from Sears with tines in the rear. I think I'd prefer the models with tines in front. But get a tiller that is heavy and can handle big jobs. My dad bought one of those little Mantis things. It is nice for a flowerbed with lots of organic matter, but it doesn't work on clay, rocky soil, or big areas.

 

[Wifezilla]

What Farmer chick said. NOW!

And yes...if you can totally cover the area go for it. I am about to tarp my raised bed as soon as my brussel sprouts are done. I may even leave that tarp until until summer and only plant a late crop. We had really bad weeds this year.