New to gardening

 

I live in Ohio (zone 5) and I'm starting a small vegetable garden in the
backyard this year.  It is 7'x8'.  I figure it is wise to start small the
first year and, if all goes well, increase it's size next year.  I've never
gardened before - ever.  The only thing I've done so far is dig up the
garden with a shovel.  I got rid of all the grass sod and several rocks.
The soil is mostly clay, so I'm going to add some sand and good dark soil.
I will either rent or buy a tiller.  I figure after the garden is tilled all
I have to do is plant.  I figure the end of May to be good for that.  Does
anyone know any good vegetable gardening websites?  I'm particularly
interested in zone 5 gardening.  I'm looking forward to participating in
this group.

 



Hi Hud. I've been gardening for many years in zone 6.  A garden only 7' by
8' can be dug by hand, no tiller needed. Our veggie patch is 25' by 25'.
Since we already had a tiller from where we lived before, so use it.  Before
I plant I still do it by hand with the spade as the spade does a better job
by going deeper.  The tiller loosens the top 6 to 8 ".  A tiller can form a
hard-pan. Google hardpan.  When the tiller goes we're not replacing it.  We
also have clay soil.  We compost everything we get our hands on from kitchen
waste to ground leaves.  It's mixed in in spring and in the fall. It's
really improved the condition of the soil.  We also add a general garden
fertilizer at the time we turn in the compost in the spring.  What veggies
do you plan to start with?

 



Which raises the question, in my mind (go figure), as to whether a
tiller is a good thing or not. I've read that tillers wipeout earthworms
and their edifices. Anybody have an opinion on tiller verses no tiller?

- Bill
Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

 

wrote:


It depends on how large a plot you have and what your level of fitness
is.  We are both over 65 and have about 1/2 acre of garden to be
prepared.  We use a tiller.  And we still seem to have earthworms.
Shovels can also cut earthworms up too.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

 



If you plan a large garden you may find a tiller helpful but a better bet
would be a small tractor with a plow or those disks to turn the soil in the
manner farmers do.  I would never spend the money to buy another tiller.
They don't go deep enough.  If your soil is very sandy they may work better,
but of it's clay.....  well, better to turn the soil by hand.