October15,2015
There are a number of
reasons why I do not use a roto-tiller in the garden.
Probably the quiet is the
number one reason. Yes there is a lot physical work when you resort to the use
of hand tools, but it is nice to remain connected to the world around me.
I like to listen to the
chickens scolding the hen that is taking tooooo long to lay that egg, as if
there was only ONE place on the property to lay an egg. Although it does
facilitate egg collection if they all use the same nest box. There have been
numerous times that a raptor has visited near the hen house. Usually the sharp
shinned hawks are feeding on the sparrows that are feeding on the chicken
pellets, none the less the rooster sets off the warning for all the ladies to
go for cover. There does seem to be a more emphatic alarm with a red tailed
hawk than a sharpie. Red tails are a much bigger bird and can easily take a
chicken.
I like being a space case in
the garden and using powered equipment is not a good idea if you DO NOT pay
close attention to the task at hand, one of those no brainer kinda things.
I had not been gardening on
my property long when I noticed all kinds of indentations and small holes
throughout the garden. It was not until I rolled a few spade footed toads out
of their slumber that it dawned on me what all the holes were from. There are
quite easily several hundred hibernating in the garden. A shovel penetrates the
bed about every 6 to 8 inches whereas a roto-tiller would be the full length.
The tines would go down to the depth I find these guys. A tiller would take out
most of them whereas with a shovel I clobber one or two a year. I am not sure
how much they are part of my pest control program, but it is just nice to have
them.
I have mentioned that I have
root knot nematodes in my garden. These microscopic “worm like” creatures cause
root gals on the roots of vegetables. The outcome of this is a slow death of
the plant along with diminished productivity. I have mapped where most of these
infestations are. With a shovel I can work from a “clean” portion of a bed
towards a contaminated part. Sometimes this is in the middle of the bed.
Working from either end of the bed is easily done with a shovel, not so with a
tiller.
In a past career I used a
lot of mechanized equipment that required me to use ear protection. The noise
was constant. But there is nothing like the quiet of “no stroke” engine!!
These are some of the
reasons I only use a shovel.
Questions? I can be contacted at markdirtfarmer@gmail.com. Or more
garden notes at redwagonfarm.blogsot.com
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