Implementing No-Till Farming & Gardening Practices

Implementing No-Till Farming Practices

A Hensley's Seed Co. guide

A head of 'Imperial' broccoli harvested from a no-till plot.

No-till growing aims to improve soil and plant health by disturbing the soil as little as possible and keeping it covered. Many farms rely on reduced-till systems that alternate strips of cover crop and cash crop, but fully no-till methods are worth trying too. Here's an overview of how one no-till Brassica trial plot was set up and managed. The methods scale easily, so they work for commercial growers and home gardeners alike.

Benefits of No Till Systems

The biggest gain in the no-till plot was far less weed pressure.

Farmers and gardeners can gain a lot by moving to reduced tillage or no-till. Common benefits include:

• Fewer weeds
• Better water infiltration and retention
• Healthier plants thanks to healthier, better-structured soil
• Less labor

Reduced-till and no-till methods take a more holistic, nature-based approach and can fit any size farm or garden.

No Till Garden Plot, Step-by-Step

Here's how a 30' x 100' no-till trial plot was handled through one growing season. Transplants went straight into cover crop residue (plant material) that had been crimped and tarped. Compared with conventional and reduced-till methods, this approach cut tractor passes, did away with plastic mulch, reduced weeds and saved water.

1. Cover Crop Planting

   The plot was first sown with 'Spring Green Manure Mix' in early May. This mix of field peas, oats and vetch was planted with a no-till drill, which is great for larger areas, but cover crops can be sown in a garden of any size. See our guide to cover crops for home gardens and raised beds.



Start by sowing a cover crop of 'Spring Green Manure Mix' in early May.

2. Termination

   After roughly two months of growth, the cover crop was crimped to kill it. Crimping uses a tool with blunt ridges to flatten the plants and crush their stems, leaving a dead mat on the soil surface that protects the soil and suppresses weeds. It works best once the cover crop is flowering.

   A tractor-mounted roller-crimper was used here, but in a garden you can use a hand crimper or termination bar, or make your own from a T-post and rope.

   Crimping alone won't kill this particular mix, so a silage tarp went over it next. (For more on ending a cover crop, see our cover crop termination guide.) Thanks to a few 90°F days, just seven days under the tarp was enough. In cooler spring weather, expect to leave the tarp on longer, perhaps 3–4 weeks.



Crimping the cover crop with a tractor-mounted roller-crimper. In a garden, a hand crimper or a homemade T-post-and-rope crimper does the job.


Silage tarps smothering the crimped cover crop.

3. Transplanting Your Main Crop

   Pulling back the tarp revealed a thick, even layer of residue. Seedlings were transplanted into it in mid-July with a water-wheel transplanter. Depending on how heavy the residue is, you may need a no-till attachment to transplant; in a small garden, a hand trowel works fine.



Seedlings set into the cover crop residue.

4. Irrigation

   Any irrigation method works in reduced-till or no-till plots. Depending on garden size and crop, use sprinklers, a watering can, a hose, or drip tape laid on top of the residue and pinned down with staples. This plot was watered by hand just once or twice a week despite severe drought. The residue held moisture in the soil remarkably well, and far less water was needed than usual.



Any irrigation method works in no-till plots. This one was hand-watered only once or twice a week, even in a severe drought.

5. Pest Control

   To see how far inputs could be cut, this plot went without the usual row cover for pest protection. Flea beetles were light thanks to the late-summer timing, and the main pests, cabbage loopers and imported cabbageworms, were controlled with a Bt product (Dipel® DF). If you'd rather rely on cultural methods than sprays, row cover held down with hand pegs keeps most pests out. Integrated pest management (IPM) practices like planting insectary strips and rotating crops are another holistic way to manage pests. For more on IPM, see our introduction to farmscaping article.

6. Weed Control

   The standout result was how few weeds came up. Even in a fairly large 30' x 100' plot, weeding took only about 15 minutes a week to pull the occasional weed. The residue suppressed weeds well for about seven weeks; a flush came up in week eight, but by then the crops were nearly ready to harvest.

7. Harvest

   Yields and performance matched what you'd expect from these varieties, and results were very close to those from reduced-till plantings, with far fewer inputs.



Yields and performance were as expected, and very close to reduced-till results.

8. Putting the Plot to Bed for Winter

   After harvest, the plot was readied for the following year. A broadcast spreader was used to sow Winter Rye over the plot and the crop remains, and then a flail mower chopped the plants finely so they'd break down faster. Broadcasting before mowing helps spread seed more evenly through the residue for better germination. In small plots, cut plants at the base with loppers, leaving roots to hold the soil and feed soil life, and compost the tops.



After harvest, broadcast Winter Rye over the plot and crop remains.

Observations

The biggest benefit observed was the drop in weed pressure. The residue also conserved water, which proved invaluable during an exceptionally dry summer.

Tips for Success

Keep a few things in mind with reduced-till and no-till systems. Cover crop residue can shelter insects, so pest pressure may rise at first, though it usually evens out over time. Planting through residue is harder, so think about what tools you have. Plan your planting dates around your cover crop schedule so the timing is manageable. And not every crop fits: the system is best for transplants and large-seeded crops, while small-seeded direct-sown crops like carrots, radishes and spinach can be tricky.

More No-Till Planting Examples

No-till cabbage started in soil blocks and transplanted into a living clover mulch.

There are lots of ways to bring no-till practices to your farm or garden, depending on your situation. A few examples:

• Set out an early crop such as lettuce or kale into a winter-killed 'Peas and Oats Mix'
• Plant cucurbits into crimped Winter Rye residue
• Use crimped Buckwheat to smother weeds between cucurbit rows
• Planting 'New Zealand White Clover' in the paths between beds as a living mulch

Straw or leaves can create a similar effect and many of the same benefits as cover crop residue. No-till offers great potential for growing food in more sustainable ways.