On Fri, 14 May 2004 08:21:57 +0800, "nswong"
wrote:


As I understand it, no-till means no weed-clearing

For my understanding, it's a minimal soil disturbance and high residue
practice. I do organic no-till, and do mow weed and leave the residue
there.

As I understand it, no-till means no weed-clearing, with planting or
seeding accomplished by slits or holes poked through existing
organic
matter. I fail to understand how this reduces weeds.

To reduce chance of being eliminated by disaster(e.g fire), seeds will
not emerge at the sametime. Seeds deposit in soil are called seed
bank.

Soil here has enough in the bank to retire! :-)

I also understand
that crop yields are *lower* with no-till, but one feels so good
about
being 'green' that it doesn't matter.

After the soil had been build up, no-till can acheive higher output
with same input compare to conventional tillage system.

Many gardeners/famers don't have time to wait.

To build up my soil fast, I mixed rice hull up to four foot deep in my
soil with one to one ratio.

Mixed? So no-till needs a boost? Don't mean to be snippy, but this is
part of my point. Improving soil almost always means introducing
organic matter. Unless "no-till" has some very tricky definitions,
some sort of soil disturbance is necessary to accomplish this.
'Topsoil' is just that -- the top layer of decaying plant matter with
a little dirt. Around here, the soil is primarily clay and 'topsoil'
is a very thin 'frosting' on the ground. Suitable for weeds and wild
grasses in the upper level, and trees with tough, penetrating root
systems. *Not* suitable for most food crops.

I am also curious how no-till produces "better soil." It certainly
can
result in fields where topsoil isn't blown or carried away in
rainwater runoff, but I fail to see how that improves soil quality.

Clitter in soil will transport nutrient around from where it's
abundent to where it's lack of, and create tunnel that facilitate air
and water moving, root extend easier by follow these tunnel. Clitter
need organic matter for energy, tillage do cause lost of organic
matter in soil and break up those tunnel.

I do not know what 'clitter' is. Tilling certainly kills plants
(weeds) and buries the remains, but that means *more* organic matter
in the soil

For home garden, I will mow weed and left it there, on top of the weed
residue add some more organic matter. Make a hole put in my
transplant.

I have nothing against mulch. However, if the mown weeds contain seeds
or parts that easily root, I don't see how this is any 'solution' to
the problem of weeds competing with desired plants.

In this way:
Soil life and the tunnel created by them will not be disturb.

Meat eatting critter will eat those plant eatting critter, pesticide
are not needed. Critter in soil will eat weed seeds, herbicide are not
needed. Harmful lifeform(e.g fungus) to plant will be suppress either
eaten by or compete resource with other lifeform, other (xxx)icide are
not needed.

This is a lovely plan. However, it rarely happens in real life unless
the meat-eating critter gets out there and picks the beetles off the
tomato plants. And this has little to do with whether or not to till a
garden.

No hand tillage mean reduce back pain.

Well now, that *is* a happy thought. :-)