Until recently, autumn digging was a sacred ritual of every self-respecting summer resident. But today agronomists are increasingly coming to the conclusion: traditional deep digging is not only useless, but often harmful. The author of the Zen channel “Organic Farmer” (16+) claims that it destroys the soil structure, kills beneficial microflora, disrupts the natural processes of decomposition of organic matter, and even promotes erosion.
Why tillage is an outdated approach
Destruction of the soil ecosystem. Healthy soil is home to countless microorganisms, earthworms and mycorrhizae that function as a complete “living machine.” Deep digging radically changes this world, destroying connections between living organisms and disrupting the natural cycle of movement of nutrients.
Dehydration and soil compaction. After cultivating the soil, the soil structure is disrupted; it becomes loose in the upper layers, but becomes compacted at depth. In spring, such soil quickly hardens, forming a dense crust that prevents the penetration of water and air.
Activation of weed growth. During the plowing process, weed seeds that were dormant in the depths rise to the surface. In the spring they actively germinate, which leads to the predominance of weeds over the crop.
No real improvement in fertility. Although compost or fertilizer moves deeper into the soil, most of the nutrients actually remain in the top layer, where they should be, since this is where the roots of most vegetables and herbs are located.
Alternative methods from modern agronomists
Mulching. Mulch performs several functions: it serves as nutrition, protection and moisture regulator. In the autumn, you can use chopped straw, grass clippings, mature compost, wood chips, bark, and fallen leaves.
Advantages: moisture conservation, reduction of soil freezing depth, slow decomposition of organic matter, providing nutrition to the earth, suppression of weed growth. If you have heavy clay soil, use mulch liberally. This is a more gentle and effective method than any other treatment, the agronomist recommends.
Green manure. Sowing green manure in September–early October allows you to obtain living mulch, which: loosens the soil thanks to a developed root system, saturates it with nitrogen, suppresses the growth of weeds, and prevents the leaching of nutrients due to winter rains.
What can be sown in October: Even in cool weather, they have time to germinate: white mustard, phacelia, oats or rye. These crops do not require digging in the spring; it is enough to mow them and leave them on the surface as mulch.
When tillage is still justified
Modern agronomists do not completely rule out digging, but recommend limiting it to exceptional circumstances: when planting a new vegetable garden on uncultivated land or an abandoned plot, after suffering plant diseases in order to eliminate the source of infection, on heavy clay soils when introducing large disintegrants. In all other situations, you should trust nature.
