Rototilling and Preparing the Vegetable Gardens for Planting
The vegetable gardens at my Bedford, New York farm are ready for planting.
Having a really good vegetable garden where I can grow lots of fresh, delicious, and nutritious produce is extremely important to me. I share the vegetables with my daughter, my grandchildren, as well as other relatives and friends. Every year, we spend a lot of time preparing the soil for planting - tilling the earth, adding natural fertilizers, and building raised, well-aerated beds.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Building up the soil is the most important part of preparing a garden for growing vegetables and flowers. Deep, organically rich soil will encourage and support the growth of healthy root systems. Once the soil is fertilized, it’s ready for rototilling. The purpose of tilling is to mix organic matter into the soil, help control weeds, break up crusted soil, and loosen the earth for planting.
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- Here is Phurba with our Troy-Bilt Pony Rear-Tine “Big Red” Tiller. We rototill the vegetable garden every year – regular tilling over time can improve soil structure. The soil does not need to be tilled very deeply – less than a foot is fine.
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- This model tiller has four forward, one neutral, and two reverse speeds for easy use.
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- Here is a view from the operator’s position. It is not a heavy piece of equipment, but does need to be pushed slowly through the soil to work it well.
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- The machine is set to till the soil at about six to eight inches deep. On some tillers, the speed of the rotating tines helps determine the speed of the machine.
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- As Phurba moves, he makes sure to overlap his passes slightly, so every bit of soil is covered. Tilling also helps to level the ground as it turns over the soil. Phurba is also wearing proper safety gear – long pants, closed shoes, and head and face protection.
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- Here is one side of the larger garden all done. One can see the tilled dark, rich soil.
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- This soil in the adjacent garden is not yet tilled – one can see the difference in color.
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- Phurba goes around clockwise with our Troy-Bilt in the same manner. Only rototill when the ground is moist, but not wet – the soil should still crumble when picked up. It’s also a good idea to do this on a day with little or no wind, which could also slow down the task.
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- In the foreground is nutrient-rich soil that has been tilled. In the center is soil that Phurba still has to go over. If one is not sure what amendments the garden soil may need, one can test it to gain more knowledge of its pH, phosphorous, lime, potassium, soluble salts, and soil texture. Soil testing kits are available at garden centers, or through a local cooperative extension.
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- The vegetable gardens are quite large, so it takes time to rototill the entire space, but it’s well worth the effort. One complete pass over this garden takes a couple of hours. Once the soil is upturned, determine its condition – too much sand in the soil may make the soil too dry, and too much clay may make it too wet. The soil should be a good combination of earth, sand, and clay. My soil is very well balanced.
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- After the soil is well tilled, it is time to create the beds. I like to use the most amount of space possible for planting. Here is a line of jute twine marking the center of the garden. Jute twine is easy to tie from one side of the garden to the other. The twine will mark the raised beds so they are all aligned perfectly.
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- In the center is the perennial herb garden. This area is also marked with twine.
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- Brian tends the herbs – making sure the beds are weeded and the plants are in good condition.
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- Here’s Phurba raking and shaping the tops of the raised beds. Raised beds warm more quickly in springtime and maintain better aeration and drainage.
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- Narrow footpaths are dug alongside each bed using the twine as a guide.
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- The footpaths in between each bed are only as wide as the spade. These paths are used for walking, weeding, and cutting.
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- It takes time to build the beds perfectly. When building raised beds, be sure every part can be reached without standing on it. Let this be a number one “ground” rule – never step on the soil within raised beds.
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- We’ll be planting lots of crops soon. No matter when the soil is prepared, only start planting when the soil is warm enough to be worked. The soil temperature for planting cool weather vegetables is about 40-degrees Fahrenheit. 50-degrees Fahrenheit for onions and leeks, and at least 60-degrees for other warmer and tender crops.
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- Here is the main footpath between the two sides and leading to the center herb garden. It is also measured and marked with twine before edging. This aisle will accommodate the wheelbarrow and sprinklers when needed. It’s always exciting to start planting the vegetable gardens. I can’t wait for all the delicious vegetables we’ll have here this summer.
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