Tilling and Cover Crops

One of the most important things that you can do in preparation for the coming year’s crop is to till the soil. 

Every year you take nutrients out of the earth and give them to your harvest. Its important to use the off-season (in my case the winter) to grow a cover crop and return nitrates to the soil content. 

Today the area I plan on seeding next spring was tilled. Brian tilled the hell out of it. So far twice, but I we are hoping for another run through.

The process is fairly straightforward. You till the weeds and various rotting vegetables back into the ground. This stirring up of organic materials is then seeded with cover crop seeds. In my case I am using fava beans and a mixture of various seeds. 

These seeds will grow like weeds. I will not be watering them or have irrigation available during this time. Luckily its winter, which means watering on command from the clouds up in the sky. Furthermore, I do not really care too much about vermin or deer getting their paws or jaws onto the inventory - since its a cover crop and not something I plan on harvesting. 

Come March, this cover crop will be returned to the earth yet again with a vicious tilling. This will prep the land for the cucumbers, carrots, herbs and spices that I plan on proliferating.