Did you know that carbon emissions can be trapped in soil? Adopting no till gardening can have a major impact on climate change, by storing carbon in the ground. In addition to storing carbon, untilled soil produces crops that require less fertilizer.
We all know that climate change is a problem, and there’s a universal emphasis on reducing carbon emissions.
The recent spate of stay-at-home and lockdown initiatives slashed carbon emissions by 8% globally in the first half of 2020, so it’s easy to see where we need to cut down to start making a difference.
Yet, simply reducing our carbon emissions isn’t enough to save us. Since the advent of the industrial revolution in the 1700s, we’ve pumped thousands of gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere.
Slowing down now isn’t going to do anything about the backlog.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. The solution is right at our feet. Find out what on earth no-till gardening has to do with solving our carbon problem and how you can help.
Understanding the Soil
Before you can embrace the concept of no-till agriculture fully, you need to understand the role that the soil plays in the big picture.
The first thing we need to understand is that carbon isn’t the enemy. In fact, carbon is the basic building block of life on Earth, and it’s also the solution to our carbon problem.
Nature’s designed to work in never-ending cycles of renewal. Let’s take a look at the carbon cycle to gain a full understanding of how healthy soil can help our global warming problem.
Plants and Soil Working Together
All life forms emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
All plants naturally draw this carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. Once absorbed by the plant, the molecules which make up this gas break up into its constituent parts – carbon and oxygen.
The plant releases the oxygen part back into the atmosphere.
The carbon travels through the plant to its roots and into the soil, where tiny organisms feed on it. These organisms, in turn, provide nutrition for the plant and also aerate the soil with their burrowing movements.
Of course, plants then provide food for a host of living creatures.
In one tablespoon of healthy soil, there are trillions of organisms like bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and more.
The more organisms there are in the soil, the more carbon they need, and the more carbon dioxide the plant draws from the air.
From this, it’s easy to see how healthy soil leads to less carbon and more oxygen in the atmosphere.
What is No-Till Gardening?
The basic principle behind no-till farming and gardening is, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
No-till gardening is closely linked to the basic principles of permaculture, where an understanding of nature and how things work together are the key to success.
This type of gardening attempts to use the power of natural renewal to ensure healthier crops and a healthier planet. It involves no pesticides and fertilizers and no disturbance of the soil when growing food crops.
It’s a method that early civilizations used extensively when they didn’t have the option of using tools and machinery for farming their lands.
If you take a look at some of the Earth’s most undisturbed areas, like state parks, it’s easy to see how plants thrive without human interference.
When farmers and gardeners till the soil, they disturb the delicate balance between plants, soil, and the micro-organisms living in the soil. That’s not the biggest problem with conventional farming though.
Along with tilling the soil, misguided agriculturists try to boost their crop production using pesticides and fertilizers. These chemicals destroy the organisms in the soil and disrupt the delicate balance of a system that works perfectly without these interventions.
Before long, farmers end up with barren soil, devoid of all life and their crop yields start to decline. Tilled fields expose what’s left of the soil to water and wind that washes away all semblance of healthy soil, ultimately leaving the lands barren.
No-Till Gardening Basics
No-till gardening’s a common-sense and time-saving approach to growing a lush, productive garden that will do wonders for your home’s curb appeal and your pantry.
You can use these methods to grow any plant, from flowers to food crops. We all know that homegrown vegetables and fruit are healthier for both humans and Mother Earth.
Apart from no digging and turning of the soil, these are the basic concepts involved in no-till gardening:
Liberal Use of Mulch
Layers of mulch are one of the most important parts of successful no-till gardening.
Mulch helps prevent the soil from drying out because it reduces evaporation. It provides cover and protection from the elements for soil-dwelling creatures like earthworms.
It’s important to use mulch from organic materials that don’t have seeds, or you could end up with an unintended crop. Leaves are a good choice for mulch, but they can form mats if you layer them too thickly. These mats disrupt water flow and encourage pest populations.
Some of the best materials for mulch include:
- Grass clippings
- Newspaper
- Chips of woody yard waste and fine bark
- Straw
- Seaweed
- Wood shavings
You can also use finished compost as mulch, although it’s best to avoid applying it once your plants have started fruiting as it contains high levels of nitrogen.
Compost is central to the concept of Earth-friendly no-till gardening. It’s a perfect example of how natural cycles work together to benefit the entire system.
Organic Top Dressing
Engaging in no-till gardening doesn’t mean you shouldn’t test your soil regularly. Even established gardens will need a little help now and again.
You can spread compost, peat, lime, wood ashes, and other materials around your plants as needed.
Minimal Watering
Less watering is simultaneously a benefit and a central concept for no-till gardens. Since mulch helps keep moisture in the ground where it belongs, you don’t need to water your garden much.
Drip irrigation is the preferred method for delivering water straight to the roots without wastage.
Cover Crops for Weed Control
Planting cover crops in the off-season helps prevent weeds from taking hold in your garden and help return essential nutrients to the soil.
Once you’re ready to clear the bed for your next planting, you can lay dark plastic sheeting over the cover crop and weight it down with rocks. The heat generated under the plastic will kill the plants and kickstart the decomposition process.
After two weeks, this process should be complete leaving you with rich, nourished soils ready for the next growing season.
Alternatively, you can pull the plants out by hand where you want to plant your seedlings and cover the rest with a thick layer of mulch.
Some of the best cover crops include crimson clover, oats, and hairy vetch.
No Compacting of the Soil
Avoid stepping on your garden beds. Compacting the soil disturbs the delicate balance of your garden eco-system. Instead, place stepping stone pathways along areas where you need to walk among your plants.
You can also use boards if you can’t find stepping stones. Remember to turn them over occasionally to dry out, or they’ll rot in place.
Benefits of No-till Gardening
Unlike conventional methods, no-till gardening effects on soil are all positive. By leaving nature to its own devices with this type of gardening, we can ensure healthy soil microbiology, healthy plants, and clean air.
These are some of the ways no-till gardening positively impacts the environment as well as the gardener:
Less Physical Labor
No-till gardening doesn’t mean there’s no work involved in growing your prized plants. It’s a lot easier and less time-consuming to manage a no-till garden. After all, Mother Nature will do most of the work for you.
Turning your garden beds by hand or using a gas-powered rototiller can be back-breaking work.
By comparison, making compost, gathering materials, and laying mulch is a breeze. You’ll also spend a lot less time weeding your garden with this system.
Reduced Water Usage
Thanks to the superpowers of mulch, you’ll need a lot less water to keep your garden thriving.
Mulch prevents erosion and keeps the soil moist. Healthy soil is also better able to absorb this water so that your plants have access to it.
Studies show that no-till soil can sustain plants better during drought too.
Improved Soil Aeration and Drainage
Along with microbes, earthworms thrive in moist, rich soil. These creatures are nature’s answer to tilling.
Their tunneling habits help create air pockets in the soil and channels for water drainage, just like turning your soil would, except no living organisms suffer harm in the process.
Their excretions also help to bind soil granules and nutrients together, so they aren’t washed away when it rains.
Reduced Soil Erosion
Tilling breaks up the soil, making it more susceptible to run-off and wind erosion. That means you’ll spend more time and money by adding topsoil and fertilizers to your soil.
Cover crops and mulch prevent this from happening to no-till gardens. Even when exposed to the elements, well-bound, dense soil’s less inclined to blow or wash away.
Thriving Crops
All the above factors contribute to nutrient and carbon-rich soil which benefits your crops.
You can grow a lot more plants in a smaller area when your soil’s in good condition. You’ll also notice that plants grown this way are healthier and more productive than tilled crops.
This is an enormous benefit in places like community gardens, where people rely on home-grown produce for their livelihood and sustenance.
Less Expense
With no-till gardening, your garden becomes self-sustaining. Spent plants go straight to the compost heap or act as mulch where they fall.
You don’t need to buy any expensive fertilizers when you’ve got compost at hand, and you won’t need to spend money on topsoil and top dressings either. You’ll also save on your utility bills since you’ll need very little water when you garden this way.
If you’re growing vegetables, you can save money on groceries too.
It Feels Good
Being out in your garden patiently nurturing your soil is tremendously relaxing while watching your garden grow brings a huge sense of fulfillment.
The best part is that you also get to enjoy the fruits of your labor, secure in the knowledge that you’ve contributed to the welfare of the environment.
No-till gardening is a fantastic family activity since it’s easy for children to get involved. The best part is that they’ll learn valuable life lessons about sustainability along the way.
Are you ready to start your no-till gardening adventure?
How to Make a No-Till Garden
If you’ve already tilled your soil and planted your seedlings, you can switch to no-till gardening right away by implementing mulching and composting instead of using fertilizers and compost.
There’s nothing to stop you from diving right into no-till gardening at any stage of the growing season, but a planned approach will yield the best results faster.
Here’s how to start no-till gardening, step by step:
Step One: Plan Your Beds
Choose your planting zones according to the species you want to plant. A sunny spot’s best for vegetables, while shade-loving plants can benefit from growing alongside taller specimens.
You don’t need a lot of space for your garden. You can get tremendous yields from combining crops and rotating your plantings.
Step Two: Test the Soil
Test the soil to determine its PH levels. Adding phosphorous or nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer when it’s not needed can harm your plants.
They can also damage the structure of your soil by destroying the roots that bind it together.
Step Three: Gather Materials
Start collecting items like old newspapers and cardboard to use as mulch. You can also collect garden trimmings, bark chips, and animal-based fertilizers, like chicken manure.
Ideally, you should already have your compost heap well underway.
Step Four: Kill Off Grass and Weeds
Place plastic sheeting in areas where you want to get rid of grass and weeds where you want to plant your garden.
This will kill off these undesirables and leave your ground ready for planting. The process takes a long time, so it’s best to do this in the fall so your ground’s ready for spring plantings.
Step Five: Prepare the Soil
Add compost to your pre-determined planting patch. If your compost heap isn’t ready yet, you can buy organic compost to supplement your homegrown supply.
If you’re getting started in the fall, you can add manure to your compost to give your soil a nitrogen boost. After adding compost, you can place your first layer of mulch on top.
Step Six: Planting and Harvesting
When planting your seedling, gently part the mulch to make a gap for each plant. Then dig a small hole and insert your seedling, press it down firmly, and scrape a thin layer of soil over the top.
Your first layer of mulch will decay and return to the soil as the season wears on, keep topping it up throughout the season. After you’ve harvested your crops, cut the plants off close to the ground, and add them to your compost heap.
The remaining stumps and root systems will decay in place, adding valuable nutrients to the soil. You can plant your cover crop in amongst them.
Are You Interested in a More Natural Way of Life?
No-till gardening is just one of the ways you can get closer to nature and do good for the environment.
Browse our blog for more of the best eco-friendly options and ways to make the most of the natural world. You can also join our quest to make natural spaces more accessible to everyone.
