So true, depends where you live. You said it right. I've had neighbors try so called no till and they get pretty much no success. But those that till or plow have gardens that produce like crazy. In our clay, much like yours it take a long time of amending with compost to get it workable.
It takes years of no till to get success while it's worth it in the long run it typically takes about 5 years to build the soil properly for no till to be useful which isn't an option for 99% of us growers
Some definitely don't realize how lucky they are to have soil that was usable from the start. I've had people try to tell me "it ruins the soil structure." Well, if there was a structure other than compacted clay slab, there might a point 😂
Have a soil test done! I'm in SW Oklahoma (born in Niagara falls NY) talk about a huge difference in soil. SW Oklahoma has pure clay! They hate it so much, now when you build a house, they offer an option to leave the dirt lower so you can get top soil. Even a sturdy root struggles in the summer. The snakes sure make a lot of holes too. I'm on year 3 of starting from solid clay. So solid, I could throw rocks at it and break rocks. Good luck everyone!
Plant early corn. It is white corn. My grandfather always had early for by the end of May, after planting it in late March. I think 70 days for early corn. Regular old field corn is not ready until the first of July. Popcorn, later than that.
Anytime I have gone no till the plants always fall over under the weight of the fruit. I have even tried just 1 season after a deep till. A decent rear tine tiller will really save you time and back pain. Your amendments are solid. I would only suggest some biochar and maybe 100lbs of sand. The addition of some myco added to the root zone at planting is also cheap insurance.
I’ve got hard southeast clay and I tried 2 years to no till plant and things would sprout but barely grow at all, so I’ve tilled it up with organic material. Hoping for better grow now.
Great video! You mentioned that you are going 6 to 8 inches deep, can that tiller go deeper if needed? I just cut out a section for a flower bed against the house and it holds water from the clay in the soil. No drainage at all. So i need to figure out a solution and how deep I should till. Looking to plant some cannas. Hoping this works.
Nah. That grass is good organic matter. If you till, wait a few days, till again, wait a few days and till again, it's amazing how it eliminates the grass from the surface.
I do this before I build phases of my dream castle manor Well, it's trash bags stuffed with Twigs Pizza boxes Tennis balls Then, I have the salvage yard compact it before applying the fiberglass (epoxy + hardener to help) over the trash bags (5 year build!!!) #Goodluck #Thanks -the Raccoon 😊😊😊
Clay holds moisture but doesn’t allow drainage the peat moss help with moisture but really fluffs the soil making it less hard and compact and allows drainage That’s my though 🤷♂️
It makes a crazy difference for drainage in clay. Where my tomatoes are now would flood out every year, tilled or not. It would be so saturated you could squeeze out tons of water, even after a week of no rain and 90⁰ days. Now, it drains, doesn't flood out, and is usable land.
Depending on what you are growing, you could spread mulch overtop to further prevent weeds. But in general, the tiller got rid of most of the weeds and with small amount of pulling weeds over the next week or so, everything was taken care of.
Something you can try is using a propane torch. I picked one up at Lowe's several years ago, I just walk through and torch everything before and after tilling, before adding amendments. Doesn't take long, just a sweeping motion, doesn't need to be held in one spot (unless you find particularly pesky roots). Then a decent watering with a hose to ensure there is nothing smoldering, and to help start getting that carbon into the soil. It does a few things: -Kills off any seeds on the surface of the soil -Kills off any roots and seeds that were churned up -Adds carbon to the soil Depending on where you are, tilling can churn up old dorms t seeds that will then take off with the new location at the surface.
Depends on the tiller. With a rear tine, you don't want to till backwards, because it'll just flatten back out with the tires rolling over what was just done. Some tillers also can till counter to the wheels, gives a more aggressive till.
You can’t plant two different varieties of corn, so close together, for sure some of those plants will cross pollinate, and your ears of corn will have all different types of kernels on them. At least this has been “my” experience.
Man I’m glad I live in Minnesota. Either black dirt or sand. Crazy how things change from state to state
This is exactly what I was looking for! 😊
I'm so glad! Thank you! 😁
I’m on my second year gardening. Thanks for helping me plan for next years expansion
Best of luck! 😁
So true, depends where you live. You said it right. I've had neighbors try so called no till and they get pretty much no success. But those that till or plow have gardens that produce like crazy. In our clay, much like yours it take a long time of amending with compost to get it workable.
Yeah, so true. That’s been my experience as well. Thanks!
It takes years of no till to get success while it's worth it in the long run it typically takes about 5 years to build the soil properly for no till to be useful which isn't an option for 99% of us growers
Some definitely don't realize how lucky they are to have soil that was usable from the start. I've had people try to tell me "it ruins the soil structure." Well, if there was a structure other than compacted clay slab, there might a point 😂
Have a soil test done! I'm in SW Oklahoma (born in Niagara falls NY) talk about a huge difference in soil. SW Oklahoma has pure clay! They hate it so much, now when you build a house, they offer an option to leave the dirt lower so you can get top soil. Even a sturdy root struggles in the summer. The snakes sure make a lot of holes too. I'm on year 3 of starting from solid clay. So solid, I could throw rocks at it and break rocks. Good luck everyone!
So it's the same as the areas east of Niagara Falls 😂
I'm over near Oneida Lake, and it's just a giant compacted clay slab.
Plant early corn. It is white corn. My grandfather always had early for by the end of May, after planting it in late March. I think 70 days for early corn. Regular old field corn is not ready until the first of July. Popcorn, later than that.
Thanks for the tip!
Anytime I have gone no till the plants always fall over under the weight of the fruit. I have even tried just 1 season after a deep till. A decent rear tine tiller will really save you time and back pain. Your amendments are solid. I would only suggest some biochar and maybe 100lbs of sand. The addition of some myco added to the root zone at planting is also cheap insurance.
I’ve got hard southeast clay and I tried 2 years to no till plant and things would sprout but barely grow at all, so I’ve tilled it up with organic material. Hoping for better grow now.
That should do it !! I think you will have a bountiful harvest this year!!! Good luck 🤞🏾!!!
Great video! You mentioned that you are going 6 to 8 inches deep, can that tiller go deeper if needed? I just cut out a section for a flower bed against the house and it holds water from the clay in the soil. No drainage at all. So i need to figure out a solution and how deep I should till. Looking to plant some cannas. Hoping this works.
Woodchips are added on top. If you mix them up into the soil they may cause nitrogen tie up.
Thanks for the tip!! :)
Such a helpful video. I thought you had to scrape the top layer of grass off before you started tilling with the machine.
Nah. That grass is good organic matter. If you till, wait a few days, till again, wait a few days and till again, it's amazing how it eliminates the grass from the surface.
I was looking for this answer. Thank you
Depends on the root mat. I've worked some land where you HAD to remove it, because the roots were so thick, even a rear tine tiller would jam up.
So did I
Looks good. I also have clay soil.
I do this before I build phases of my dream castle manor
Well, it's trash bags stuffed with
Twigs
Pizza boxes
Tennis balls
Then, I have the salvage yard compact it before applying the fiberglass (epoxy + hardener to help) over the trash bags (5 year build!!!)
#Goodluck #Thanks
-the Raccoon 😊😊😊
Thanks!
Tilling the soil makes it a lot easier to plant seeds, I've seen people use that cardboard method & their gardens don't come out looking good.
It really depends on the existing soil structure and nutrient availability
What do you use to keep earwigs out of your garden?
Loved your vid❤
Thanks! 😁
I don't get why you would add peat moss to a clay-based soil that's already retaining too much moisture
Clay holds moisture but doesn’t allow drainage the peat moss help with moisture but really fluffs the soil making it less hard and compact and allows drainage
That’s my though 🤷♂️
Adding organic material adds to the soil structure and promote drainage.
It makes a crazy difference for drainage in clay. Where my tomatoes are now would flood out every year, tilled or not. It would be so saturated you could squeeze out tons of water, even after a week of no rain and 90⁰ days. Now, it drains, doesn't flood out, and is usable land.
I am new to gardening…would this system work on any plants?
Like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbages, cucumber etc
Yep! It'll aerated the soil, and mix in the amendments you add. Works for anything with roots that grows on land (as opposed to aquatic).
So after tilling do u put stuff down to kill the grass or will the tilling take care of that
Depending on what you are growing, you could spread mulch overtop to further prevent weeds. But in general, the tiller got rid of most of the weeds and with small amount of pulling weeds over the next week or so, everything was taken care of.
I’m trying to make a space for watermelon . The length of my garage . I am a newbie
Something you can try is using a propane torch. I picked one up at Lowe's several years ago, I just walk through and torch everything before and after tilling, before adding amendments. Doesn't take long, just a sweeping motion, doesn't need to be held in one spot (unless you find particularly pesky roots). Then a decent watering with a hose to ensure there is nothing smoldering, and to help start getting that carbon into the soil.
It does a few things:
-Kills off any seeds on the surface of the soil
-Kills off any roots and seeds that were churned up
-Adds carbon to the soil
Depending on where you are, tilling can churn up old dorms t seeds that will then take off with the new location at the surface.
Did you plant in the valley of the till or on the mount?
On the mount.
wearing me out just watching him
😂 Thanks for watching!
I heard you're not supposed to til pulling backwards is that true?
Depends on the tiller. With a rear tine, you don't want to till backwards, because it'll just flatten back out with the tires rolling over what was just done.
Some tillers also can till counter to the wheels, gives a more aggressive till.
You can’t plant two different varieties of corn, so close together, for sure some of those plants will cross pollinate, and your ears of corn will have all different types of kernels on them. At least this has been “my” experience.