When Your Garden Needs Tilling

This article is courtesy of Backyard Style, authored by Nathan Bowers. The basics of why and when to till your soil will give you the necessary knowledge to select an appropriate tiller. Be sure to note the great information about how tillers function to help you make your selection. Backyard Style has also provided a link below to detailed descriptions of some of the best small tillers for you to consider.

A tiller can be a hugely valuable piece of equipment. When used correctly, it can support healthy plant growth. But it is a disruptive process. Used unnecessarily, it has the potential to damage the soil. Here’s everything you need to know to pick the right time to start tilling.

Do You Need to Till Your Garden?

The first thing we need to decide is whether tilling your garden is needed. There are a few instances where tilling can prove invaluable. First, you might have hard soil, which you struggle to pierce with a shovel. This is a sign that it is compacted. Because of this, it will be harder for the roots of the plants to penetrate and grow. In this case, it might be best to do a shallow till. This will break up the soil. This will get you ready to replant in the spring.
Secondly, you might never have planted a garden in that area. This means that you will require a deeper tilling. This will help you control the weeds in the soil. It also ensures that the soil will let nutrients and water penetrate and reach the roots below.

When Should You Till?

Usually, early spring will be the best time of the year to start tilling. The best time for tilling will depend on the weather conditions in your local area. More specifically, it will depend on the temperature and how it is affecting the soil. You’ll need to wait until it’s dry. If you till when the soil is wet, it will end up clumping. This will make any compaction problems worse. Secondly, you need to wait until it is warm.
A good test is to take a handful of soil and roll it into a ball. Gently touch the side. It should crumble away. A second test is to stick a finger six centimeters into the soil. This will tell you how warm it is. You should be comfortable leaving it in there for a minute. If both these tests get passed, it’s time to start tilling.
If you have an existing garden, you’ll only need to do a shallow till. This means setting the tiller to under 12 inches. You’ll also want to go slowly, taking it one row at a time. Once you’ve finished, cover it with four to six inches of mulch and fertilizer. Depending on the state of your garden, you might need to repeat this once a year. You don’t want to over till, which can increase compaction.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Tilling?

There is a debate in the gardening community about whether or not tilling your garden is a good idea. To let you make up your own mind, here are some of the pros and cons.
Let’s start by looking at the benefits. When you till, you will add oxygen to the soil. This helps aerobic bacteria. These will break down organic matter, providing nutrients to plants. Tilling can be a good way for nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil. The looser soil also makes it easier for water to penetrate the soil.
People also like to till the garden as part of a weed control system. If you till in the early spring you should be able to remove the weeds before they can develop strong root systems. This will make them easier to control in the future. Additionally, you will be removing insect larvae.
However, there are some downsides to tilling to consider. First, even light tilling is very disruptive. The beneficial organisms, like worms, will be displaced. It can also move any dormant weeds to the surface. This gives them a better chance at germinating.
It also breaks down the natural soil composition, making the soil particles smaller. This produces a few serious issues. First, it makes the soil more prone to compaction. It also increases erosion, as the soil will blow or wash away more easily. Because of this, you will become more reliant on fertilizers.

How Can You Choose the Right Tiller?

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of whether or not you want to use a tiller. Now we can turn our attention towards deciding what type of machine you should be using.
One of the most important factors to consider is the size of your garden. If you only have a small backyard plot, you’ll need to get a mini-tiller. However, you’ll also need to consider the quality of your soil. Sometimes, you will have a lot of rocks. In this case, you’ll need something that has a higher horsepower to break through them.
Next, recreational gardeners will need to use front tines. These will dig into the soil, propelling the machine forward. Just make sure that they have a reverse function, to make it easier to get it out of a difficult spot. It’s also important to get a model that has tires. They will boost movement.
You’ll want to look at the maximum tilling depth and width. This will tell you what the machine is capable of. These elements are especially important if you have a larger garden.
By now, you should have narrowed yourself down to a few options. To help you decide, look at the reviews. You might also want to check the brand, to make sure that it has a good reputation. Check that there is a warranty period. This ensures that you will be able to send it back to the manufacturer if it develops any defects.
If you want to get some more tips or to view some recommended options, check out this guide to a small garden tiller.

Tilling your garden can present a range of benefits. Because of this, some gardeners swear by the benefits of shallowly tilling their garden annually. Others opt for a deeper till to establish a new garden. Hopefully, you now know when the right time to start tilling is.