One of the key components of regenerative gardening and eco friendly homesteading is no-till gardening.

No-till methods are perhaps the single most impactful nature-based solution to climate change that you can implement in your backyard.

In addition to being a method of storing carbon in the soil, no-till gardening is also easier and requires less work overall. The end result benefits your plants - you’ll start to see less weeds, your soil will have better water retention, and your plants will thrive because of the healthy soil life that you’re maintaining in your garden.

In this article, we’ll look at the science-backed reasons why you should practice no-till gardening, and go over a step-by-step guide to transitioning your garden to regenerative no-till methods. We’ll also cover how to start a new garden with no-dig practices.

Ready to dig in…or rather, to no-dig in? Let’s go!

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To till or not to till…that is the question

Here’s what studies have proven about the environmental and soil health benefits of no-till regenerative gardening:

No-dig improves soil health and plant health

When farmers and gardeners till the soil, they are disrupting and damaging the ecosystem that exists underground. The soil is full of beneficial microorganisms, from bacteria to fungi, that form relationships with your plants in order to deliver nutrients to their root systems and protect them from disease.

When soil is tilled, this system is destroyed and takes time to build up again.

There have been many studies examining the benefits that not tilling the soil has on the soil microbiome. One such study is from South Dakota State University, which found that long-term no-till farms had substantially more bacteria and fungi levels in the soil.

Moreover, a study from the University of Illinois surveyed 60 farms and found that cover cropping, a regenerative no-till companion, increased the soil microbiome by 27%.

Learn more about how to build soil health, and how soil health plays a role in the fight against climate change.

No-till methods help with water conservation

As climate change causes extreme weather patterns, many farms and gardens around the world are dealing with drought and flood conditions.

No-till methods help with both, as the soil structure is better able to infiltrate beyond the surface level. With better water holding, any water that is provided during a drought stays available for longer periods of time, and any excess flooding is able to sink into deeper layers of the soil.

As someone who lives in an area with very little rainfall during the primary growing months, and a well that runs dry because of this, no-till practices are essential to keep my garden healthy and produce a harvest.

One research study out of the University of Nebraska Lincoln noted that more water can infiltrate on no-till soil versus conventional tilled soil. During a 90 minute period, almost 4 inches of water was applied to no-till land before water runoff started. It took only 1 inch of water before runoff began on tilled land.

If you are interested in other ways to save water in your garden, click here for some of our water conservation tips.

Organic No-till causes less weed pressure

Many famers and gardeners feel the need to till the soil because weeds that form over the growing season will start to overcome the beds. Other farmers might practice no-till farming but use herbicides to kill off weeds.

The irony is that no-till methods cause less weed pressure over time, and that tilling the soil actually causes more weeds to germinate!

This is because there are weed seeds under the surface layer of the soil, and by tilling it, those seeds are brought up where they receive water and sunshine, and maybe even fertilizer. It’s no wonder that they start to grow and thrive!

No-tilling minimizes soil disturbance, so the weed seeds do not get brought up to the surface.

Instead of applying toxic chemicals to the weeds, mulching can help get rid of unwanted plants. Any weed seeds that are present at the surface layer are covered by mulch, and so they are less likely to push up through the mulch and become a nuisance.

Furthermore, cover cropping helps prevent weeds from overtaking a bed in the off-season.

A study from 2015 found that when compared to tillage systems, no-till methods produced less weeds. The weed pressure continued to decrease year over year, and by year three only 4% of weed seeds germinated in the no-till systems, compared with 33% in the tilled land.

No till practices provide a bigger yield

With the added soil carbon and soil life, not tilling the soil produces more yield in less space, and studies show that the increase in yield keeps growing over time.

One such study was from Michigan State University, and was conducted for 30 years.

One of the key scientists for this study was Nick Haddad. He shares his findings on yield in this quote: “When we look over time, initially, when the land is converted to no-till there’s no difference in yield. Yet over time every year the crop yield in no-till treatments becomes higher and higher relative to conventional agriculture. The crazy thing about our study is that over a thirty year time period we don’t see that trend leveling off.”

This is part of the reason why we believe that regenerative no-till farming can feed the world.

Most importantly, no till sequesters carbon and is a nature-based solution to climate change

Here at eco friendly homestead, this is the main reason why we advocate for no-till methods in the garden: this practice is essential in the fight against climate change.

Across the globe, tilling releases CO2e into the atmosphere. In turn, tilling practices result in a need for more fertilizer, which often times isn’t organic. Synthetic fertilizers contribute heavily to climate change and are often derived from fossil fuels. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers emit nitrous oxide, the most damaging greenhouse gas - it’s 265 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

This rippling effect of tilling practices is part of what causes the agricultural sector to contribute to 21% of greenhouse gas emissions.

If we as farmers and gardeners are part of the regenerative movement, we can make progress in the fight against climate change.

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No-till garden equipment: what do you need for a no-dig garden?

One of the biggest benefits of not tilling your garden is not needing an expensive tiller or needing to go through the hassle of renting one.

However, there are some things that you will need. Luckily, some of these things are free, and anything that is on our list that you could purchase is optional.

1. Organic material: Save up your leaves and grass clippings. You may be able to get grass clippings and leaves from non-gardening neighbors.
   Get on the list for chipdrop.com to get a free delivery of wood chips, or call your local aborists to get on their drop-off list.
   Call local organic farms for manure - most will give it to you for free if you haull it away.
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2. Compost: build a compost pile to cut down on purchased soil and build soil health.
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3. Cover crop seeds: You can let some of your first year’s cover crop go to seed, and then save the seeds for next year’s planting.
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4. A broad fork (optional): A broadfork is a no-dig gardening tool that breaks up and aerates soil. It can loosen compacted soil, improve drainage, and create channels for better root growth.
   
   The broadfork is particularly useful for regenerative gardening because it loosens soil without inverting or disturbing the layers, and minimizes the destruction of the soil microbiome when compared with tilling.
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5. A crimp roller (optional): This tool helps to terminate a cover crop without tilling the soil. The tool breaks the stems of the cover crop plant, and the above ground material is flattened onto the soil. This creates a thick mulch over the garden bed, which acts just like a regular organic mulch in that it suppresses weeds, adds soil nutrition, prevents erosion, and feeds the soil microbiome.
   
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Transition to no-till gardening: a step-by-step guide

If you're ready to start with regenerative no-till gardening practices, here's a step-by-step transition guide to help you understand how to implement this eco friendly technique:

1. Observe: Just like the permaculture principle, a no-till garden transition begins with observation. Evaluate the current state of your garden. Notice current soil quality, weed presence, and what crops are present.
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2. Prepare the Soil: Remove any existing weeds or vegetation from the garden area. You may wish to keep perennial plants in place during this process. Then, instead of tilling, use a hand tool or a broad fork to loosen the soil gently. After a few seasons of no-till gardening, you will probably not need to broad fork as much. Avoid excessive disturbance to preserve the soil structure.
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3. Organic Matter (layer 1): Place compost, shredded leaves, or well-rotted manure into the top layer of soil. This improves soil fertility, enhances moisture retention, and encourages beneficial soil organisms. Think of this as a top layer - you do not need to mix it into existing soil.
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4. Mulch (layer 2): Cover layer 1 with a thick layer of organic mulch. This can be organic straw or shredded leaves if you didn’t use these in layer 1. This non-soil layer helps to suppress weeds, improve water retention, and breaks down to build soil health.
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5. Freshen up pathways: I recommend adding woodchips to your pathways. If you already have wood chips, they may need to be topped up with a fresh layer.
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6. If you are going into a growing season: If it is spring and you want to plant out your garden, I recommend starting seeds in trays while your garden rests for a few months. In this way, your layers can start to break down, and you can pull your layer 2 back easily to transplant your seedling into the ground when it’s ready.
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7. If you are going into a fallow season: Let the ground rest until it’s time to plantand maintain the mulch layer if necessary.
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8. In future fallow seasons: Plant a cover crop after you cut back the previous year’s crops. Cover crops add organic matter to the soil, build soil health, and provide nutrients for future plantings.
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9. Minimize soil disturbance throughout the growing season: When your non-root vegetable plants are done producing, cut them back at the base or just below the soil surface, so that the roots of the plants stay in the ground. This adds organic matter to the soil and helps to sequester carbon.
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10. Practice Crop Rotation: Be sure to rotate crops annually to prevent disease build-up, balance nutrient demands, and maintain soil health.
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11. Manage Weeds Organically: Hand-pull weeds as they emerge or use smothering techniques such as heavy mulching over areas that have weed growth. Avoid synthetic herbicides, as they can hinder the development of a healthy soil ecosystem.

These steps for no-till gardening practices allow you to create a regenerative garden ecosystem and turn your garden into a carbon sink for planetary well-being.

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A guide to making a new no-till garden over grass:

This method does require some time, so implement it as soon as you have the time, materials, and resources.

1. Map out your new garden space: I find it helpful to use sticks and large branches to map out where my new garden will be located over the grass. You can use stakes and string as well. Be sure that your new garden will receive the right amount of sun and shade for what you’ll be planting, and that it is in an area where it is easy to deliver water.
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2. Smother the grass: Remove any large weeds or vegetation from the lawn. Then, cover the grass with something that light cannot penetrate into. Many no-till farmers use heavy-duty black plastic for this, which often can be reused for years. I’ve found that the black plastic method works quickly (around 2 weeks) if you have a stretch of hot days during the summer, but will take almost all of the off-season if you place it down in autumn or winter.
   
   If you don’t want to use plastic and instead want to opt for more natural materials, you can place a thick covering of grass clippings, organic straw, spent hay, and/or leaves over the area.
   
   In many no-till resources, they will advise using uncoated cardboard for this step. Due to uncertainties of the PFAS/forever chemicals content in recycled non-glossy cardboard, I personally avoid using it for this step.
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3. Mulch (layer 1): If you are working with the black plastic method, you’ll need to wait until the grass has died back underneath to carry on with this step.
   
   If you have placed a thick layer of grass clippings or leaves, you can implement this straight away, but I’d recommend waiting a week or two at least to allow the material to break down a bit. When ready, add a second layer of mulch, such as organic straw or leaves.
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4. Compost (layer 2): Cover layer 1 with a thick layer of organic compost or soil. I’ve found that a 6 inch layer is ideal.
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5. Pathways: I recommend a thick layer of wood chips be added to create pathways in your garden. This will help prevent weeds from growing in your pathways and spreading into your growing areas
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6. If you are going into a growing season: Plant or sow seeds directly into the compost. If you are planting seedlings, mulch around them to prevent further weed growth, further enhance soil health, and conserve water. If you are sowing seeds, apply mulch around the plants once the seeds have sprouted and developed.
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7. If you are going into a fallow season: Plant a cover crop directly into the compost. Once the cover crop has grown a couple of inches, mulch around the plants to prevent weed growth. Cut back the cover crop before it goes to seed, and let the plant reside be a mulch that you plant into the following spring.
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8. In future fallow seasons: Plant a cover crop after you cut back the previous year’s crops. Cover crops add organic matter to the soil, build soil health, and provide nutrients for future plantings.
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9. Minimize soil disturbance throughout the growing season: When your non-root vegetable plants are done producing, cut them back at the base or just below the soil surface, so that the roots of the plants stay in the ground. This adds organic matter to the soil and helps to sequester carbon.
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10. Practice Crop Rotation: Be sure to rotate crops annually to prevent disease build-up, balance nutrient demands, and maintain soil health.
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11. Manage Weeds Organically: Hand-pull weeds as they emerge or use smothering techniques such as heavy mulching over areas that have weed growth. Avoid synthetic herbicides, as they can hinder the development of a healthy soil ecosystem.

Now you have a new garden area that can feed you and your family, provide beauty, benefit wildlife, and sequester carbon.

Common issues with a first year no-till garden and how to resolve them

When you first start your no-till garden, there are a few issues or questions that you may have. Here’s what I’ve most commonly comes up for people, and how I’d resolve these problems.

Ground beneath added layers is heavy clay

If this is the case, I’d recommend planting a cover crop of daikon “tillage” or “drill” radish. When it’s time to terminate the crop, cut back the leaves of the radish and leave the root in place. I’ve found that the radish will respout, which can be good if you want to apply more organic matter. If you want the radish to die back, cut it just below the soil level and mulch over it.

The radish will make the soil more pourous, and will add organic matter in deep layers of the soil as it breaks down.

Then, use a broadfork to loosen up the soil before planting in the spring.

You may need to have daikon be your cover crop for a few of your off-seasons. You can mix the daikon with other cover crop seeds if you want to have other cover crop benefits in addition clay remediation.

Stubborn weeds keep sprouting and are difficult to pull up

There are some weeds, such as bermuda grass, clump grass or crab grass, which seem to grow through the mulch at any given opportunity. These plants are difficult to pull out by the root, and spread rapidly.

While this is something that will take persistence, I’ve found that the weeds eventually die back if you cut them at the base, let the non-seedy grass parts contribute to your mulch efforts, and place a 6-10 inch layer of mulch over the grass.

Monitoring your garden for weeds like this to catch them before they become a big issue helps a lot in making this process manageable.

How to plant seeds in a no-till garden - what to do if seeds don’t germinate

Be sure to move back any non-broken down mulch before planting seeds. Seeds will germinate if the top layer is compost, but you’ll get poor gemination if you plant seeds on top of or underneath organic straw, leaves, grass clippings, etc.

What I do is pull back the top mulch layer to the edge of the bed and plant my seeds. I keep the bed watered and monitor it closely for germination. Once the seeds have sprouted and are around 6 inches tall, I will carefully apply mulch to any exposed soil, with care to not smother the new seedlings. If you have any mulch left over from this, you can either apply it to another bed or save it to apply to the same bed once the plants have reached around 10 inches in height.

What mulch is best for no-till gardening?

This really depends on a lot of factors, such as what type of crops you have, the season, and what’s available to you.

In short, if you’re growing perennials, I recommend organic straw, chopped leaves, or wood chips.

If it’s summer and you want to keep a bed of annuals cool, I recommend organic straw.

If you have an abundance of leaves or grass clippings, those are both great options! Be sure that the grass clippings have decomposed a little bit and apply them in thin layers so that they don’t warm up the soil too much.

If it’s during your rainy season and you have a lot of slug pressure, I recommend removing the mulch until plants are established, and then reapply the mulch so that slug pressure doesn’t cause too much damage.

We have a complete mulch guide if you want to learn more about the different options!

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no till for regenerative gardening

No-till gardening is a way to tend to the soil with less work and more benefit to our gardens and the planet. The steps outlined here will help you to create a garden that is resilient, abundant, and healthy.

Want to learn more about regenerative gardening and soil health?

Check out our regenerative gardening guides here:

• Soil health: a comprehensive exploration into how to build soil health and why it’s important for the planet
• How to transition to a regenerative garden: Learn what makes a garden regenerative beyond no-till
• The full scope of environmental benefits of regenerative agriculture: Learn why regenerative agriculture is a nature-based solution to climate change

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