Plowing or Tilling?

[superduty5.9]

Just curious what your ideas are. When I was a boy my dad would get the neighbor to come down with big tractor and plow our garden then come back maybe in a few days to disc the garden. Dad would then till our garden to his liking.

Since I started planting my own garden many years ago I always just tilled it, even a new garden. I have always had good luck with my garden. I know a lot of you plow and disc. Is this just to own and use more toys? Get more seat time? Is the any advantage to plowing over tilling? My 1A tiller will go deep into the ground and pulverize the soil. Thanks!

[Ash_129]

Just keep tilling it as you do now. It is just fine as long as you get the soil worked deep enough for the type of plants you grow. Of course tilling in compost, manure, etc. will help with the growing too. Also rotating/differing the area you grow some of the taxing plants (corn for example).

My dad hand tilled (garden fork) all his life. Always had a great garden.

I'd say the size of the garden would be a limiting factor on the type of machinery used to turn, till, pulverize, and mix the ground.

Cheers.

[superduty5.9]

I always rotate what's planted in my garden from year to year. I also do composting and all organic food waste also go into the garden year round. My garden always turns out just fine, just curious.

[Methos]

I like to plow in the fall and plow and till in the spring to get some seat time.

[sgt.porter]

I plow in the fall to turn in organic matter. Plowing in the fall can also turn some fresh weed seeds too deep to germinate and eliminate hiding places where pests like squash bug over winter.
I try to till every area just once in the spring to loosen the soil and work up grubs for the birds. Once it's warm enough for the worms to stay in the topsoil, I only till where it gets out of control.

[drglinski]

It depends (to me) on size. A garden looks better IMO rototilled BUT if it's a half acre for example I'd plow it. Tilling something that big would take a long while, but then again, it depends on how much seat time you want.

[lonnyb]

When I was running a garden I would plow in the fall

Sometimes I had to leave a small streach as potatoes and carrots where still in the ground.


I would also plow again in the spring


Than once Memorial day weekend came I would till every thing.


Once plants get high enough you can use a clutivator simular to this


It helps keeps the weeds down between the rows

[cubguy]

In Va. the clay is so hard just tilling wont cut it.
I usually plow in the late winter to ruin any bug nesting place and let it sit over winter. I then plow about feb. to loosen it all up again. Then till the day I plant. If I till in the fall and let it sit the dirt will harden up like cement and my plow wont touch it.
Just my 2 cents.

[CADplans]

I don't till or plow anymore!!!

But, I fight the Virginia clay with organic matter.



I graded this out and it was 8 inches deep.

I ended up "plowing" "furrows" in the compost to get to the dirt to plant this year.

Thank goodness I got a plow this year!!



I will never need a coulter!!

[ACecil]

Great pics, guys!