No-till spring garden prep

14 years ago

I've been reading about no-till gardening and am considering trying it next spring. My garden is 24'x32', and I divide it up into 4' x 8' sections, each with a 3'x7' raised bed, and a 1' wide path along both edges. Paths get mulched with eelgrass and naturally end up more compacted than the beds. In the past, I'd spade up the entire (24'x32') plot, dig out the paths and mulch them heavily with eelgrass each spring.

This spring, if I don't spade the garden, what's the right way to prep it for the season? Leave the paths alone, and just rake the 3'x7' beds? I'd kind of like to loosen up the paths, too, but not sure whether there's any need to do so and how to go about it.

Also, there is about 1" of compost and 4"-6" of eelgrass over the whole garden right now. If I don't spade in the eelgrass come spring, what should I do with it? From past experience, at least of it will still be on the surface in April.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

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Comments (5)

jolj
14 years ago
First i believe "spade up" is tilling.
I have a few bed with 12-16 inches path & they are to small.
You should have 18-24 inches path.
luckygal
14 years ago
I've read that some people heavily mulch paths then each year move them as the soil is becoming enriched even in the paths because of the decomposition of the mulch. Of course that means you'll need to loosen the soil if it's too compacted. Whatever eelgrass has not decomposed by spring could be used on paths or composted. Take this advice in the spirit it's offered as I have no idea what eelgrass is! LOL I *think* it's some type of seaweed and if so I'm trying not to be envious.

Would it work to use stepping stones for the path? That might cause less overall compaction.
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Kimmsr
14 years ago
The paths between my planting beds are grass and get mowed periodically, and are 4 feet wide so I can work on the 4 foot wide beds easily. The 4 foot wide planting beds now are mulched well each fall after the plants that grew there (annual beds, not necesarily the perennial beds) are cut down which are then covered by the mulch material. In the spring places to plant are made, for seeds by pulling the mulch back enough to expose enough to make a trench, and for starts enough to plant the start. As these plants grow the mulch is moved back when it can be.
During the growing season the Soil Food Web digests the mulch material so that by the end of the growing season, often sooner, the mulch is in the soil not on it.
josko021
Original Author
14 years ago
Well folks, I have a 24' x 32' area and am trying to grow as much as possible in it, so I'm trying to get by with the narrowest paths that stlll let me get through to the beds. No, I can't drive a wheelbarrow between bds, but I can get in a tote or bucket. Yes, it would work better with 2' wide paths, but I'd have that much less area available for planting.
I am in the process of amending another 4' x 32' area and might have it ready for planting next spring, but I'll still be tmpted to get by with the narrowest paths I can tolerate.
There's just too much stuff I want to plant in the space I have available.
RpR_
14 years ago
I have one garden, within x-feet squared, fairly close to the same size as yours.
Now I do ground level gardening but I have used one by eight boards as my path ways.

I was/am fortunate that I have access to boards from decks no longer used but, even at that, they have made my ability move around the garden, especially early season much easier as I also use them to indicate boundary separation of varieties.