Bob wrote:

One alternative is to re-till it every few weeks untill seed
sprouting slows.

Frequent tilling would totally destroy the soil structure, and if done
to the same deapth each time would result in powder above the line, and
hardpan below the line. Soil shouldn't be tilled more than twice a year.
Once would be better.

It would have been much easier to use a sod cutter and remove the
sod and accompanying seeds before tilling.

Maybe. Maybe not. The resprouting is likely to be coming from the
remaining roots. A well established turf may have roots going deeper
than any sod cutter is going to go. Taking it out that deep may have
meant hauling in soil to replace it. Also, after the sod decomposes, the
soil will be more fertile than it would be if all of that was
scraped-off, and hauled away.


Let me toss in my idea: Go with the multiple layers of newspaper with
bovine manure holding it down, and also use it as a dumping place for
leaves from the trees. By the time the leaves finish falling in my yard,
I'll have built-up a good 4-6 inch layer of shredded leaves over my
vegetable garden. A few weeks before planting time, I till it all in.
When I started three years ago, the vegetable garden area was as hard as
concrete. I almost busted a commercial-grade tiller trying to break it
up. I couldn't even get a spade into it. Today, the soil is so loamy
that if I walk directly on it, my shoe sinks in to the top of the toe.
The tomatoes loved it!

--
Warren H.

==========
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