The Cool Down
Gardener shares simple hack for nutrient-rich soil: 'Just like nature does'
One TikTok user has a no-till gardening hack that promises to make soil more nutrient-rich.
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Cultivating Healthier Gardens: The No-Till Method for Thriving Soil
A recent video from "Spade To Fork," a certified organic family farm, highlights the benefits and practical steps of maintaining a no-till garden. The video, uploaded on May 13, 2025, showcases the farm's approach to refreshing established garden beds for a new growing season, emphasizing methods that work with, rather than against, natural soil processes. The demonstration begins with lightly clearing surface weeds using a stirrup hoe, followed by smoothing the soil without disturbing its deeper layers. A key step involves adding approximately an inch of compost directly onto the beds, a practice explained as vital for feeding the soil's biological life from the top down. This method helps keep the soil covered and protected. The video further illustrates the importance of topping off wood chip paths, which keeps walkways weed-free and insulates the soil beneath. The presenter emphasizes that not disturbing the soil through tilling preserves its structure, including crucial fungal networks and soil aggregates that are essential for storing water and nutrients. This approach ultimately leads to healthier and more resilient plants. The "Spade To Fork" team advocates for consistently keeping the soil covered to maintain dormant weed seeds and foster a healthy, living soil environment.
