No tiller here, can't justify effort

I don't think tilling is BAD, but I think people forget that weeds love good caring every bit (or more) as much as plants. If you have a wonderful rain, weeds get as perky as plants, ditto fertilizing, tilling. Etc. It's completely natural.

There are literally over 1000 discussions here about till vs. no till with devoted advocates of both approaches, so devoted the discussions usually turn argumentative because many unsubstantiated claims get made. So there is no simple answer to your question rather it depends on the situation, the size of the garden(s), the way you amend, and the health of your back.

Till/No-Till discussions

Personally, I am an advocate of tilling for many reasons and no, I do not think it is harmful when done correctly. And the earthworms in all my big garden beds are thriving. Can it be abusive? Sure when one doesn't know what they are doing - just like anything else.

Dave

In New Hampshire (a cold cold place) we spread large amounts of manure on the surface of an acre before the first snow and in spring had a guy with a monster tiller come in and dig everything in. It worked well and the garden was very productive. Of course that was only a part of the system as a whole.

There's no reason to think tilling is good or is bad, only is it something that works in the scale you're gardening in. I wouldn't dig up an acre with a shovel for nothin'!

And the earthworms in all my big garden beds are thriving.

The ones that survive the tilling. ;)

This tilling versus no-tilling is an endless discussion. I do about 8,000 sq. ft. All you no-tillers think about that. There are so many advantages in tilling for me. I see little or no advantages for me in no-tilling. Right across the fence in the field, they do no-tilling. Still, that involves heavy machinery making planting furrows and for corn , channels for ammonia.

lots to think about here... thank you!

So I guess my next question would be: what would you do if you were me? I have 225 sq ft (15'x15'). If we did a manual 'till', what would this consist of? Just hacking with a shovel? Are there other tools you could use?

Or maybe I should make a couple smaller raised beds inside of the larger plot, with paths all around (as it is right now, I have to walk in it to get to everything). Might be more manageable to manually work a couple smaller areas.

My garden consists of six 3x10 raised beds with 3 foot wide paths between the beds. I typically only turn three of those beds completely twice a year. The other 3 contain herbs and perennials, so only portions of those beds get turned.

As others have said, there are as many ways to garden as there are gardeners. Here are some recommendations I would offer...

Sometimes it seems that there is more usable space in a garden with
rows, but a lot of that area is walked upon, compacting the soil, and is not actually in
production.

Assuming you can access the garden from the sides, I think I would either divide the plot into 3 - 3' x 15' beds with 2' or less between the beds... Or 2 - 4' x 15' beds centered in the plot, with 2' or less between the beds and on the outer edges, with planting rows on the far outside edges to fill the left-over space. Cover the walk-ways (the in-between areas) with thick layers of wood chips. Do not walk in the planting beds... ever; walk on the chips.

No-till in such small spaces is much easier to accomplish. You can get lots of straw very cheaply. Mulch the planting areas quite deep (6" - 8") with the straw. It will break down over time to create a nice light tilth to the soil. It usually takes a few years to incorporate the decomposed straw into the soil, but if you mulch deep enough, it can be done in a fairly short period of time. When you see a weed, cover it with straw. In the autumn, add on shredded leaves (shred with a lawn mower.) After the growing season, toss on manure. If it is getting close to planting time, be sure that the manure is well-composted. During the warmer weather, add thin (1" - 2") layers of green grass clippings as often as possible - being careful to not add so much that it mats into a impenetrable layer which sheds water.

In times between crops (after harvesting, and before planting anew,) blend your mulch types together as best you can. If you have the ability, use a digging fork to mix it in with your soil. Add compost whenever, and as often as possible. Eventually, you'll have a soil that does not require any tilling or turning what-so-ever.

We till the vegetable garden every Spring...we add any amendments to the soil and it gets mixed in. I like to add alfalfa pellets to bring up the organic matter. We have fairly heavy clay so have to be careful when we till - too wet and it becomes a mess of clay clods.

I hear alot lately about how tilling releases carbon that has over 1000's of years been built up in soil and tilling releases it to react with oxygen and make more C02. Supposedly, alot of our C02 buildup has come from this. I don't know one way or another but it is something I think our agricultural system should look at if there's any truth to it at all.

My garden is on old sod. I discovered lasagna gardening so we don't need a tiller. The beds are first built up with alternating layers of green and brown on a layer of wet newspapers. In my high tunnel I just put down wet newspapers in the paths and covered with grass clippings. In the spring I add a layer of composted manure. I have a problem with creeping runner grass (quack grass) and creeping jenny. I covered the winter squash bed with black plastic in the early spring while we still had freezing weather. This slowed down the encroaching weeds and two of us used spading forks to get the messy edges cleaned up.

I keep debating about covering the grassy walkways but we have a wide enough main walkway for the riding lawn mower and tool cart.

Last year I heavily mulched the garlic bed with straw. This worked pretty well and only needed a small amount of weeding at the end of the growing season when I harvested the garlic and put in some rows of bush beans and beets.

If you aren't walking on the beds (much), they don't get compacted. I kind of like spading the soil over when needed. I think there will be less work in the spring if I do a better job of adding leaves and grass clippings at the end of the season. For my potato patch, the first hilling is done with soil but the second hilling is down with straw. There haven't been any weeds.

<

So I guess my next question would be: what would you do if you were
me? I have 225 sq ft (15'x15'). If we did a manual 'till', what would
this consist of? Just hacking with a shovel? Are there other tools you
could use?

Or maybe I should make a couple smaller raised beds inside of the
larger plot, with paths all around (as it is right now, I have to walk
in it to get to everything). Might be more manageable to manually work a
couple smaller areas.>

I'm weird I guess as I have no problems with a big garden area - 4 of mine are 60x100 and a couple are 30 x 80 and I find they much more flexible for use than any of my raised beds are. The raised beds are confining when it comes to layout, amending, and crop rotation.

And I disagree that paths in a big bed waste space as those paths this year are constantly getting amended and are next years planting spaces - when they aren't used for fall planting this year. Sure they get compacted somewhat but it isn't as if a herd of elephants is trampling back and forth daily. And any compaction is easy to fix. Plus having them allows for easy side dressing of the plants throughout the season - something that can be difficult with framed in raised beds.

So while a 15x15 foot area could easily be divided into 2 raised beds with fancy paths around them that would be wasting space IMO that could be used the following year.

Dave

I guess I am weird too. I like wider areas...even walk on them...no kidding.

So it seems that we have at least 2 types of gardens and gardeners. One lhas a limited area and likes it tightly defined. Others like me raise a larger crop and find freedom without all the little fences [border].

Dave, what you have is more like a mini farm.

As I've gotten older I know how important it is to have room to maneuver. That's why I changed my 18" wide paths to 3'. I can maneuver the wheelbarrow full of compost right next to my planting area without stepping on any of it.

My 8" high raised beds are hardly confining when it comes to layout or amending. I don't practice crop rotation with my tomatoes, because I grow something in their beds fall thru spring.

The reasons for not tilling are compelling to me. The natural micropore structure, flocculation and aggregation of soil particles are essential properties to my soil. Tilling compacts the soil, degrades the structure, increases the potential for wind and water erosion.

I add layers of hardwood chips, compost, and leaves regularly and watch it disappear into my clay soil, "tilled" in by earthworms and other macrofauna.

No-till farming is the norm in much of the country, for many crops. Not only are soils more stable, but they are more productive, too.

We had a big garden when I was growing up and dad would pay a local farmer to plow it every year. Good grief.....the weeds, the rocks, the dust on dry days! If only the concept of no-till had been around then, lol.

Just goes to show what works for one doesn't work for all. Whether that be soil amending, crop rotation, raised beds, or tilling.

But since I have several of both - raised beds and big garden plots, tilled gardens and no-tilled raised beds - I can evaluate both approaches side-by-side and determine which works best for me. That is all any of us can do.

Lauren - there are many different tools available for your bed/beds whichever way you decide to go. They range from turning forks and shovels to gas powered tractors. But IMO the important thing is to start out shallow and work your way up. No matter which form of equipment you use you shouldn't go for 10" deep off the bat. Turn 2" first then let it rest a few days then another 2" deeper, etc. And since your worms will respond to any ground vibrations be sure to stomp around a lot as you work so all your worms know to go deep. :-)

Dave

good thoughts!

Yes, I'm a sucker for a more defined look, I'll admit it. Those of you that have big beds, all the power to you, and you and your tillers can have a ball - I don't blame you one bit!! (again, having a hard enough time keeping the tiller out of a 15x15 bed....)

The thing is, I don't think I need all the space. I have so many other flower beds to maintain that if I can skimp anywhere, it will save me loads of time. I think I'm going to split my bed into a few smaller sized ones with some walking paths in between. I will still have MORE than enough space for all the veggies I plan on growing. I might need to be a little more calculated about crop rotation but that seems like a small sacrifice.

thanks all!

Lauren W. (z5b - CNY)

said: lots to think about here... thank you!

So I guess my next question would be: what would you do if you were
me? I have 225 sq ft (15'x15'). If we did a manual 'till', what would
this consist of? Just hacking with a shovel? Are there other tools you
could use?

Or maybe I should make a couple smaller raised beds inside of the
larger plot, with paths all around (as it is right now, I have to walk
in it to get to everything). Might be more manageable to manually work a
couple smaller areas.

Perhaps for the first garden in the spot tilling may have some advantage or you can use other methods to prepare the beds. Search & read up on Lasagna Gardening. Begin preparing the soil in the fall - NOT in the spring.

I tilled mine when I first started - until I learned about Square Foot Gardening (SFG) - I sold my tiller the next year.

I placed frames on top of the soil where I had my row garden and never walked on the soil again. I use only compost and make my own. The soil stays soft n loose in the beds. I don't have (or want) huge tomatoes but I get more than I can eat. I have planted tomatoes in the same bed since 2003. So I don't think rotation is mandatory.

This year I started composting in beds right in the garden and it seems to be working fine.

Make a list of what produce you normally buy to eat then draw out a plan on paper to see what fits where. Be sure to leave at least 4ft walkways between and around the beds. IF you can't leave 4ft don't make the bed more than 2ft wide.

IF up against a wall or fence leave a space more than the distance about the length of your inseam - this will allow you to kneel w/o cramping or damaging growing plants.

More important than whether to till or NOT is choosing the location, location, location. You can always amend the soil.

Choose a location that gets adequate sun for what you want to grow - normally 6-8hrs of direct sunlight AFTER the trees leaf out. That means direct unfiltered sunlight - not just day light but a place you can see your shadow.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/sqfoot

Be sure to read the FAQs.

You can bring in soil (compost) to fill the beds or sift the soil that is there if you choose (have time, energy, or want to) then add compost

I like to make an area around each bed what is grass and weed free for at least 4ft - why? they both compete for water and nutrients with the plants I am growing.

"Grass is a perennial weed that invades my vegetable garden." - Gumby

HTH

good point, HTH, about area around each bed. What has worked better for me this year is edging the beds at a slant. I read that when weed roots hit air, they stop. At one end that I carefully planted to look pretty, I put straw down as well for about 12 inches. I'm not sure I agree that you need at least 4 feet that is grass free but it would be nice. What also works for me is to edge a bed with wet newspapers topped with grass clippings, at least 3 inches worth. I have noticed with my garlic bed that the bulbs growing at the edges aren't quite as big.

One of the reasons why I like long narrow beds is because short rows are sensible for some things. Of course, you can divide up a long row into sections of different vegetables but I like the pattern of 4'. It's plenty for a single row of radishes or arugula. Two rows might be better for bush beans. Four rows better for carrots.

However, a wider bed with a path works better for sugar snap peas and anything grown on a trellis because the heavy concrete mesh panels we use as a trellis are wide. A garlic bed or potato patch heavily mulched can be wide. Since I hand pick potato beetles sometimes I have to step into the bed to reach any in the middle.

Winter squash are growing in a long narrow bed that was built using the lasagna method but tended to be more grass clippings and old leaves than anything else. After covering with black plastic to kill the weeds creeping in and then spading the dead clumps out, I made holes which I filled with composted manure to plant squash seeds. Normally I would cover the whole bed with composted manure but decided it wasn't necessary. The bed was also covered with Agribon fabric to keep striped cucumber beetles away and not removed until the plants started getting big but hadn't started blossoming.

After hand weeding a section of bed with zucchini because purslane was taking over, I made a mental note that I should have heavily mulched around the plants. I have a nice hand weeding tool but if I had mulched, I wouldn't have had to do any weeding.

That is the wonderful thing about gardening - each of us can do what ever works, or not. My other line is that gardening is one huge experiment.

A couple of reasons to make the garden borders void of other plants...

1. Weeds/grass tend to harbor slugs and insects.

2. The plants we grow will have roots that extend 4ft (or more) beyond the bed. Plants feed from their root tips.

Check this link for your fav plants. ROOT DEVELOPMENT OF VEGETABLE CROPS

I have a strip of weeds, grass, wildflowers (mostly grass) that I leave to encourage birds and beneficial insects. But the root development article will be an educational read for me. Thanks.

I have to use raised beds with hardware cloth due to gophers. I do add my own compost, but it doesn't cover 10 boxes, so I will buy some compost from an organic place each year.

I only keep a couple of beds plus the asparagus bed uncovered and used during the winter. The others I cover in cardboard with slits cut in for moisture.

Some say that tilling brings up the weed seeds, but if you live where I do....that weed seed is going to blow in during the winter, unless you cover it! (I live along a horse field with PLENTY of weeds to blow in!)

I do like a tidy bed to start in the spring, so I use a really tiny tiller from the 50s that I bought from a neighbor that only goes down about 4". It mixes up the compost, tidies up the beds for a fresh spring garden, and my worms are just great! It also works in my above ground beds that are about 1' deep.

I also bought an electric tiller this year for doing some zeroscaping. It's a bit bigger than my little 50's model, but gets the job done! Nancy

Agree with Dave about gardens being more flexible for use than any raised beds are. Absolutely nothing wrong with tilling or plowing your garden, It's been done that way years ago before no tilling was around, I'm 60 years old so I'm not going to shovel my garden which is 40'x75'.

" I'm 60 years old so I'm not going to shovel my garden which is 40'x75'. "
Exactly the point of "No Till".

You might be surprised to learn that many farmers today have gone to "No Till" so they must see some advantage to it. They grow some grass, I believe it is a rye - when it gets about 3ft they spray it with RoundUp that's right RoundUp. Then roll the grass so it lays flat to form a mulch to suppress weeds. Followed by planting a crop thru the rolled over grass/mulch.

So you can also "No Till" a row garden but I would be interested to hear how and why you feel a row garden is more flexible.

Having done it both ways - having beds you do not compact by walking in works for me as does having something that is more compact to focus/work on.

Since life is a learning experience, I encourage people to try things that are new and different to keep that life experience well rounded.

gumby, I tried something different. I deeply amended my gardens. Some walking on them does what?

No till farmers drive on the soil with heavy tractors, planters, combines, sprayers, harvest wagons, and pickups. They do have to open up planting slots, and nitrogen application channels. Most do not plant rye.

wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana said:"I deeply amended my gardens."

Who said not to?

"Some walking on them does what?"
From my previous post - "having beds you do not compact by walking in works for me..."

Glad I don't have tractors and all that other stuff :-)

HTH

Fascinating. I had no idea about this topic.

As someone with a perennial garden, I've never even thought of tilling. Why should I? My stuff doesn't die at once if it even dies at all. Instead, I just amend a few inches down for the basin I'm going to plant again because I have alkaline clay soil and that's it. I just top-dress everything else. Works totally fine. Plants figure it out.

Does something bad happen to the soil structure in the winter that you've got to totally rearrange it when you plant again? I'm just asking out of curiosity, I have no idea, I've never lived anywhere that wasn't warm and you didn't just top dress unless you had some particular goal to accomplish by digging everything up, like trying to break up the caliche for a new garden or getting out tree roots.

Excellent point Marianne - come to think Mother Nature doesn't till either and she also top dresses. It seems to work in the forest.

And who amongst us tills up their lawn each spring after spreading fertilizer on it to amend the soil - raise your hand high - stand up and be counted..

A lot of tilling can just be a light pass for weeds and a deeper pass for making a nice seed bed and often hilling or ridging some...not rearranging everything. I know how to use a hoe as well as anyone, If you have large areas, you understand.

'You might be surprised to learn that many farmers today have gone to "No Till" so they must see some advantage to it. They grow some grass, I believe it is a rye - when it gets about 3ft they spray it with RoundUp that's right RoundUp. Then roll the grass so it lays flat to form a mulch to suppress weeds. Followed by planting a crop thru the rolled over grass/mulch.'

Not in my area, They don't grow anything just spray to kill everything then just plant, but were talking about two different subjects here as what a Farmer does is completely different from what a gardener does, Farmer has equipment, fertilize and chemicals that we are most of us would never use in are gardens, I don't know how you would amend your soil or prepare it for planting without turning it over especially for clay soil.

Marianne, You don't till just because things die or not that's not the reason for tilling, How do you amend down a few inches? just asking, seems like tilling would be an easier way to do it, No need to till up a lawn to side dress because your feeding a plant that is already established but that is a different topic, And I don't till when I side dress either.

You missed the point which was 'You might be surprised to learn that many farmers today have gone to "No Till" so they must see some advantage to it.

They don't use raised beds either and have stopped tilling in any amendments just like Mother Nature who lets the earthworms do the work.

Then you might also be surprised to find out just how many farmers do use RoundUp in their row gardens.

Because many grow RoundUp Ready (resistant) crops today - they can use RoundUp which will kill the weeds but not the RoundUp Ready crop. It is said using another herbicide will kill the crop - a vicious circle and a money maker for Monsanto.

< as what a Farmer does is completely different from what a gardener does>

Agree. Just as one can't realistically compare a perennial bed or a lawn to the average garden and its need for tilling or not. That's like saying gardening in heavy clay soil is no different than gardening in sandy soil and we all know that isn't true.

But just as no-till has some advantages and some disadvantages so does tilling. Pest control is one no one has mentioned so far.

I for one wouldn't consider planting a cover crop only to turn around and spray it with Roundup any big advantage over tilling that same cover crop into the soil. But maybe that's just me.

Dave

Oh I wouldn't either which is why I grow my own. But when you buy from the store or even a farmers market you just don't know what you are getting.

Again the point was missed it is simply that farmers must see some advantage to do No Till on a larger scale that the home gardener

-"many farmers today have gone to "No Till" so they must see some advantage to it."

I think it is safe to say that not only are some folks resistant to change but they are not willing to try anything they haven't been doing.

I am gonna try this one more time -

Maybe I am more adventurous but...

To me:"Gardening is one huge experiment.".

To others it appears to be the same 'ol same 'ol. -

Gumby said it ;-)

No till is gaining some ground among home gardeners because tilling disturbs the soil food web and releases CO2. As far as CO2 goes, you could reduce emissions about the same by holding your breath while tilling. I don't till because I have raised beds and there is no need to. If you put your fertilizers and compost on top, the nutrients will work their way down through the soil web. The book Teaming with Microbes explains some of this. There's a lot more than worms breaking down the soil and making nutrients available to the plants' roots.

With raised beds, you don't step on the soil you grow plants in, so it doesn't get compacted and you don't put nutrients on the soil that is your path. You could do the same thing with a level bed, making walking paths and not stepping on your growing ground.

One reason some farmers do no-till is the time and cost saving of not chisel plowing and disking the soil. On the whole they pay some price for this choice as the soil tends to be wetter and colder in the spring when they are itching to get started planting.

For myself I may use a potato fork to loosen a bit the soil to hasten drying in the spring...in some areas. Some of my gardens have darker and heavier soil...even though highly amended.

gumby, I have evolved in gardening. Once upon a time I spring plowed the garden and disked it up like an 'onion' bed. Then I rushed out to plant everything. Later, I fall plowed and then just tilled to plant rows as needed...stringing out the planting season for months. Then later still, I highly and deeply amended the soil and left off the plowing. I chop up the residues and they compost in situ. I also have added leaf compost and yearly add finely chopped leaves. I al;so add rotted horse manure with a lot of hay in it. I also add some slow release organic fertilizer and rock dust. i also add some quicker acting fertilizer. I weed religously and enjoy my efforts and God's increase.

I am still ... "interested to hear how and why you feel a row garden is more flexible."

a lot of good points here, Round Up in the garden? No way for me and don't know of anybody using it, I try to do it the old fashion way of organic, gumby, the only reasons I can think of it being more flexible is that you plow or till all your old crops and any compost or whatever you want into the soil much easier then turning with a shovel or fork, Also don't you have to fertilize and water as much like you would do with a raised bed due to the fact it drains the nutrients faster after a rain, And when I plow everything in the late fall it gives everything a chance to decompose an the soil dries out faster in the spring and is much more workable to get a head start.

Reasons why large scale farms choose to adopt no-till are primarily their rising overhead costs in an era of decline in crop sale prices.

time savings

fewer seasonal employees required

extensive fuel cost savings

less equipment ownership required

less wear and tear and maintainence on equipment already owned

earlier planting usually allowed

<I am still ... "interested to hear how and why you feel a row garden is more flexible.">

I didn't say that row garden is more flexible. I said that large plots were more flexible than raised beds. Are large plots often planted in long rows? Sure.

for ease of equipment use

more efficient use of watering methods like drip irrigation to conserve water

elimination of shading by other crops

easier access for side dressing of crops

easier weed control

easier amending of alternate unplanted rows

easier crop inter-planting access

easier crop rotation by row

more localized pest and disease control

and for harvesting purposes.

But large plots do not have to be planted in rows. They can also be planted in crop patches.

I do both row planting and patch planting and raised beds and large plot gardening so yeah, side-by-side comparison is possible and it is a constant learning process with both.

Dave

PS: edited to add I have also discovered it is much less expensive and easier to fence in one or two large areas than a bunch of small areas when fencing is necessary.

The layout of the garden area is what determines the fence needed not the style of garden.

The remainder of the points are all subjective and should not be belabored here.

To the subject of this thread:

I say yes tilling does disturb the "Soil Food Web" but others obviously disagree. The nice thing about gardening is you can do whatever you want in your garden.

Tilling is helpful for that first garden spot to help rip up weeds and their roots but that can also be accomplished other ways such as smothering with cardboard, newspapers, mulch, etc.

I don't think there is ANY wrong way to garden only a preferable way.

Edited to clear up this typo: ANY wrong way to garden only a preferable way.

In case that isn't clear I didn't mean to me but preferable to each gardener.

<The remainder of the points are all subjective and should not be belabored here.>

grumby - it is ALL subjective to a degree and that includes your points as well. That is the nature of any issue that has both pros and cons on both sides of the issue. There is no right or wrong way but what you call the "preferable" way may be preferable to you but is not preferable to all.

But you are the one who kept stressing the point that there must be something advantageous about it since so many supposedly do it and it was you who asked repeatedly how a row garden was more flexible in the first place. So why is a response to your questions "subjective and should not be belabored here"? Just because it disagrees with you?

Oh and it is the nature of the varmint in question that determines the fence needed.

Dave

<But you are the one who kept stressing the point that there must be something advantageous>

I was tying to understand YOUR point when you brought it up saying <"I'm weird I guess as I have no problems with a big garden area - 4 of
mine are 60x100 and a couple are 30 x 80 and I find they much more
flexible for use than any of my raised beds are." without explaining how that's all.

As I said the points you made certainly were far from decisive.

gumby, How many sq. ft. do you garden? I think this is the key distinction in this tillage thing.

Below is a picture of strip tilling...the bottom picture on the tillage article. it prepares a row [ahem,...not a patch] for planting while leaving the residue on top.

http://www.agweb.com/blog/defending-the-land/the-evolution-of-tillage/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokv6zKZKXonjHpfsX57OUuUKag38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YAASsB0aPyQAgobGp5I5FEATrPYRadit6IEWA%3D%3D

<As I said the points you made certainly were far from decisive.>

Well if you don't find the issues of water conservation, specific crop nutrient supplementation, localized vs. garden-wide pest and disease control, or weed control issues "decisive" then likely no gardening issues would be decisive to you.

Unfortunately they are very real issues for most of us.

Dave

wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana said:

gumby, How many sq. ft. do you garden? I think this is the key distinction in this tillage thing.

Objection your Honor - the question is not relevant. Please tell me how and why it would matter IF it were 4x4, 35 acres, or a forest that Mother Nature doesn't till yet everything flourishes. Never mind the question is not relevant and is yet another diversion.

I am gonna say what the senior posters here should have said from the beginning - this topic <"do you think repeated tilling is harmful?"> would be better answered in the soil forum.

Here's a link you will find helpful http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/soil

Dave - maybe you just don't realize the points you make are advantages of intensive gardening and not relevant to this topic. So I guess you don't/haven't tried it.

Lauren, If I could go back to the beginning of my garden, I would have hired somebody with a tiller to break it all up once. This would have collapsed the gopher holes, loosened the dirt, etc. My vegetable garden is done in a potager style with permanent beds. Most are not technically raised because I could have spent a small fortune on wood for the size of garden I wanted, not to mention the cost of soil amendments. My beds are double dug and lined with hardware cloth to keep the gophers out. Digging those beds out would have been much easier if the area had been tilled first. We are currently expanding the garden and the good news for me is I have 2 teenagers to press into service when it comes to the digging.

I will agree that there can be more flexibility without permanent beds, should you desire to change the design of the area on a whim. The Art of the Kitchen Garden is a wonderful book where they show some different design possibilities. The authors actually till it up and do a new design each year, so it may be something to look into if you like the aesthetics. Part of me would like to do it, but I have enough going on that I may not have the mental energy to devote to a new design each year. I have checked that book out from the library many times so your library may have a copy as well but I also see Amazon has a used copy for less than $1. Have fun in the design process.

Everyone has there way of gardening and as long as it works for you that's great, As I mention in an earlier post, Plowing an tilling works for an old guy like me, Cheaper because no wood to buy or boxes to build, Less work to amend soil, I feel it's easier to rotate your crops instead of figuring where to put what crops in what different size boxes you have, If raised beds are for you then that's great, Some people don't have a choice, Hope everyone's garden does well no matter which way you go.

So Dave, I have been sent to the soil forum and you are in the penalty box!

Anyway, I have been around gardens and farms for all my life...80 years. i am a slow learner, but dogged. I have learned a lot about soil health, body health, and soul health...very slowly. ...as the Bible says, "Here a little and there a little, line upon line and precept upon precept..."