To till or not to till?

[Capsicum]

"get some vermiculite to throw in there as well"

vermiculite could never be considered a cheap soil amendment choice. If anything pine bark is the best to amend clay soil. I found most soils are best left alone, but if it is really heavy clay pine bark is a good choice.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

Why don't you build a raised bed and fill it with soil and amendments? Seems like it would work.

There's a little problem with the big issue.....cash! It seems every year something comes up that takes away money I wanted to use on improving the soil around here.
I almost didn't even plant this year because I am so sick of this old, hard soil that hasn't been amended in years.

I also can't see how a tiller would compact the ground.

It does on harder type soil, look it up. Those tines are pounding the ground over and over and thus compacting what is beneath what it is cutting.
I operated heavy equipment and compacted large lots for homes and I agree with what is said about normal tillers.

 

[Capsicum]

There's a little problem with the big issue.....cash!

I like!!!! No reason to spend money on something that should be free!!! I used to spend alot on my gardening hobby, untill economics became a interest haha , then saving money became all a part of the hobby. just use the native soil if it is good. The best way to improve any soil is topdressing with compost and letting the area sit a while. Then the soil will come alive. . Everytime you till you disturb masive amounts of populations of microorganisms. You need to just feed the soil and they will come alive and the soil will get better and better.

When you want a quik garden it is till all the way

If it is compact amend and till with pine bark and little peat moss, even leafmold if you have, then fertilze using either organic or even a slow realese synthetic fertilizer. That would be the quik way to get started.

We see farms on the worst soils, they do not amend with anything just till it and fertilize. Just something to remember.

 

[hooda]

You could always go up. Raised beds will give you the depth without the backache. I did that last year, and if you put the right soil in there it should work pretty well. If you can go down about 6 or 8 inches into your local soil, and build it up about 8-12 inches, it may be an option.

Well I'm going for the long haul, tilled the first foot or more, and now in the process of digging out the clay soil for a total depth of 3 feet. I have pictures already but I'm going to add them to my glog on the next update. Going to have a couple cubic yards of organic compost plus castings delivered this weekend, hopefully.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

I have been out there with a pickaxe, maddock, shovel, and my Mantis electric tiller and I am tired.
I worked about 90 minutes out there and dug down to about 12" or so and about 4' long on the first row and I am tired.
Wished I had one of those hydraulic tillers so I could just go to town on this small garden area.
I used to operate heavy equipment so this digging by hand and a small tiller is not my favorite way to do it.

 

[hooda]

I have been out there with a pickaxe, maddock, shovel, and my Mantis electric tiller and I am tired.
I worked about 90 minutes out there and dug down to about 12" or so and about 4' long on the first row and I am tired.
Wished I had one of those hydraulic tillers so I could just go to town on this small garden area.
I used to operate heavy equipment so this digging by hand and a small tiller is not my favorite way to do it.

Soak the area with some water, it helps a lot.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

I don't want to have mud as it's much harder to work in especially with a tiller.
I could soak it and wait a couple of days but I want it done ASAP as the seedlings are about ready.

 

[hooda]

I don't want to have mud as it's much harder to work in especially with a tiller.
I could soak it and wait a couple of days but I want it done ASAP as the seedlings are about ready.

Yesterday I got down to an area that I couldnt get the spading fork more than an inch down. Lightly watered the area and had a beer, went back at it and could get about half the fork down in it. Works for me.

 

[Capsicum]

Yes use gypsum and then water, it will break it up.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

It's actually softer than I thought. There is moisture and a light swing of the Mattock chips off nice pieces of compacted material.
Here is what I did so far mostly with the mattock and shovel:

You can see the moisture in this picture and I am seeing quite a few earthworms 8-10" down.

I think I will buy 4-6 bags of Kellogg Amend soil which contains gypsum as well as other things.