No – Till gardening also known as no-dig gardening helps boost the quality of soil making it nutrient rich and more pests tolerant. As the name suggests ‘No till gardening’ promotes leaving the soil without turning, digging or tilling it. This ultimately results in saving lot of efforts and times each harvest, each year. Naturally occurring gardens or forests aid plant growth on the soil as it is as also discussed in Back to Eden Gardening. ‘No-till gardening’ is preferred by gardeners throughout the world.

Soil management is important however digging soil is hard but it had been practiced since the beginning. The idea behind digging or tilling was to expose the under layer of the soil thereby allowing manure, compost and other add-on nutrients to reach there. Digging loosens the soil making it fluffier which helps in proper sowing of plant seeds and helping the roots to navigate below the soil better.

Our soil is home to many organisms like beetles, insects, earthworms and also to microscopic life like fungus and bacteria. These all organisms live in harmony with the plants with sow, some way or the other they help plants grow or help flowers bloom. Each time we dig the soil we are actually causing much damage to the natural habitat of all these organisms who are actually there for a good reason. Even pests living below the soil are helpful as they help pollination and also maintain the balance in food cycle which is very necessary for pest control. Plants can thrive better and use the undisturbed soil resources for self-strengthening, better resistance and increasing their produce. No-till gardening is hence a better option as it saves time, efforts and gives our plants a better ecosystem.

Preparing no-till gardens or garden beds is easy, you can clear the ground off any garbage, rocks, grass, weeds or other debris. Organic matter like compost, vermicompost or manure should be added to the ground. This organic matter must be well digested and laid four inches thick, as this will help obstruct weed growth by completely blocking sunlight. The organic matter laid will also provide nutrients for the plants to grow and will be a better living space for all organisms. The organic matter must be free from all chemicals and completely non-toxic. Ultimately all grass and weeds below the organic matter will vanish and earthworms will make way for the organic matter to settle in the ground soil. A layer of cardboard may be laid on the ground below before adding organic matter as this will help in getting rid of the weeds without even plucking. Use of wet cardboard will suffocate and kill all weeds further it will be an obstruction for the growth of new ones. Eventually the wet cardboard will break down and add to the soil below. This way even if any weeds try to pop out they will be easier to remove hence wont reoccur. Cardboard may also be used between the growing beds as it will be a better walking space and also obstruct weed growth, wood chips may be spread around on the cardboard to make it sturdy. Once the garden beds or space is ready you can start planting directly into the soil. If the bed soil has not settled and ready to be planted upon, seedlings can be planted in trays then shifted to the garden beds once they have grown a bit. This will also help in exact plantation and make the garden look more attractive. Garden beds can also be prepared using ‘back to eden gardening method as it is also the most natural and sought after method for cultivating a flourishing garden.

Regularly mulching the soil with organic matter is the key to the success of any garden. Regular mulching has many benefits as its protects the soil surface from erosion, reduces weeds and helps soil retain moisture. Mulching increases the soil fertility as it breaks down, it improves the soil structure and saves the efforts of digging. Mulch is food for the soil, the plants and also the organisms living below hence it is necessary to add to the mulch as the old much breaks down completely and settles in the soil below. It is important to clear all weeds and seeds from the mulch else the purpose behind adding mulch will be defeated. Mulch can be grass or hay clippings, leaves, compost and small pieces of wood residue, it can be added to all plant life including mature plants, shrubs and trees.

No-till gardening can be easily practiced in cities too as it can be done in beds of all sizes. The beds should not be more than four feet’s as that helps taking care of the garden beds without even stepping on the soil. This keeps the soil undisturbed and easy to maintain from outside the garden bed thereby reducing the need to till or dig automatically. The use of raise beds is common as it helps contain the organic matter and mulch added thereupon. This mulch helps keep weeds away and as we work on these gardens without stepping on the soil the weed seeds never get a chance to surface and germinate. Considering all the above points no-till gardening is better for our plants and also the soil moreover it is less stressful and it saves lot of time.